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HARVARD DIVINITY SCfl

ANDOVER-HARVARD THEOLOGICAL
LIBRARY

From the collection

of the

UNIVERSALIST HISTORICAL

SOCIETY

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AN

ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY

AMONG

THE EGBAS AND YORDBAS OF CENTRAL AFRICA,

In 1859-60.

BT

ROBERT 9AMPBELL,

One of the CommiMiODers of the Niger Valley Exploring Party; late in charge of the

Scientific Department of the Institute for Colored Touth, Philadelphia; and

Member of the International Statistical Congress, London.

itfa-gorh :

PUBLISHED BY THOMAS HAMILTON, 48 BEEKMAN ST.

FHILADBIfPHIA :
BY THE AUTHOR, 661 NORTH THIRTEENTH ST.

1861.

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8 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

KBLIOION.

Shango exorcised— ^Existence of Spirit*— Ifa—Agugu—Oro— Aspect of a City
on Oro-day— Gymnastic Sports— Pttgillstlc Encounters— Missions, 74

CHAPTER VIII.

JOUBNBT TO TOBUBA.

Our Caravan— Atadl— Extortion of Carriers— liugun— Peter Elba— Open Air
Accommodation— Articles left by the roadside for sale — Ijaye — Kumi —
Telegraphic Drums— IntervieTr with Chief—" Palaver with the water*'—
Oreat Market— The Drivers— Carriers— Value of a Shirt— Departure for
Oyo — Fever Again— Visit to King Adelu— Exchange of Presents— Tax col-
lecting— Snake-Charmer — Aden^i— Small Pox — Ogbomlshaw— Dr. Delany,
Fever still again— Scarcity of Water, 82

CHAPTER IX.

ILOBIN.

Magnificent Conflagration— Orassy Plains and Forests — ^Freedom of the Coun-
try from Beasts and Reptiles; why— Extravagant Welcome — ^Nasamo'the
Executioner, and Us DwelUng— Wifeless— Royal Present of Food — ^Prison-
ers — ^Intovlew with the King — Schools — ^Arabians — Mulatto-^Musical In-
struments — ^Bai^o— Beggars — ^Looms— G-ambari Market—Escort, 99

CHAPTER X.

BBTUBN.

"Two Horsemen," and their Adventure — ^Exchange Horses— What about
Vaughn — Progress Arrested— New -Route — ^Voices in the Bush— Village in
Ashes — ^Isehln — ^A Hunting Party — ^Dead Man by the Roadside— Ibadan Sol-
diers, another Adventure — " Enough, Enough, white man, go on !" — ^A City
on a Hill — ^Berecadu, and Its Defenses — ^Nlght Travel In Africa — ^Abbeokuta
again-" The Dahomlans are Coming" — ^Deputation- The Doctor is come,
and how he did It — Final Departure for the Coast — ^The Carrier Nuisance
once more— Troubles — Heroic Woman — Safe at Lagos — ^Departure — Km
men— A Slaver, 108

CHAPTER XI.

OONCLUSIO V.

Willingness of Natives to receive Settters— Comparative Healthiness of Coast
and Interior — ^Expense of Voyage — ^Protection — ^How to procure Land —
Commercial and Agricultural Prospects — ^Time of Arriving at Lagos — The
Bar— ^Extent of Self-G-ovemment — Climate — ^African Fever and Treatment —
Cotton Trade— Domestic Animals — ^A^cultural Products — Minerals — ^Um-
ber— Water— African Industry — ^Expense of Labor — Our Treaty— ^in<8, . . 184

%vim»^ U Ps Pmitektti

-••-♦-

CHAPTER L

LIVBBPOOL TO LAGOS.

Bathurst — Sierra Leone — ^Malignant Fever — ^Gape Palmas — Cape
Coast Castle — ^Acra, English and Dutch.

On the 24th June, 1859, 1 departed irom Liverpool
on board the African S. S. " Ethiope," Capt. French.
On the 2d of July we arrived at Funchal, Madeira ; the
4th was spent at Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, four days after
leaving which we came in sight of Cape Verde, Africa ;
the next day we anchored in the port of Bathurst
on the Gambia. This little town is built on one of those
great deposits of sand commonly found on the Deltas
of large rivers. It is said to be surrounded by very
unhealthy influences, although the American Consul,
with whom I enjoyed an hour's conversation, assured me
that he had not known a case of fever among the white
inhabitants of the place for six months. The trade is
chiefly in ground-nuts, {Arachia Hypogea,) Except
perhaps Freetown, there is not a better looking place

10 A PILOBIMAGE

on the West Coast. The largest houses are built along
the river-side, and present a handsome appearance,
heightened by some fine large trees growing before
them, and a fine avenue is left between the trees and
houses. The streets are wide and regularly intersect
at right angles, with sewers for draining ; the town,
which from being low would otherwise be swampy, is
thus kept dry. The white inhabitants, including the
officers of the garrison and the missionaries, comprise
about thirty persons. There is another small town
about one hundred and fifty miles up the Gambia, called
Macarthy's Island. The settlements on this river are
British, and are garrisoned by Afiiican soldiers from the
W. I. Regiment. The natives are chiefly Jolofs and
Mandingas. Many of the latter, who are Moham-
medans, read and write Arabic ; both comprise some
very active and successful traders.

On the 12th we were at anchor in the harbor of
Freetown, Sierra Leone, lat. 8° 29' N"., long. 13® 14' W.,
said to be the best harbor on the West Coast of Africa.
Affidrs were in a bad condition, the yellow fever, or
as some say, a malignant form of biUous fever had ap-
peared there, and swept off more than a third of the
white inhabitants, while the small pox was busy among
the natives. During the two days that the ship con-
tinued in the port I had frequent opportunities of con-

TO MY MOTHERLAND. H

•

versing with several of the natives, men of respectabil-
ity, and in some instances of education ; they complain
bitterly of some of the Europeans, on account of their
laxity of morals and unblushing disregard of the. de-
mands of decency. It is fortunate that the number of
this class of persons is small compared with the number
of high-minded, worthy men who are deservedly much
esteemed.

On the 17th, Sunday, we arrived at Cape Palmas.
Our stay there was short. I contrived to spend about
three hours on shore, and was fortunate in meeting the
Reverend Alex. Crummell, who conducted me to the
two or three places of interest which could be visited
in that time ; amongst the rest he took me to the church
in which he sometimes officiates. I was much gratified
to witness more than one hundred natives, including
an old chief, listening with deep attention to the word
of God. I regret exceedingly not being able to ac-
company my Reverend friend to Mount Vaughn, his
school and dwelling a little way from the town, where
he is doing efficient service in training some promising
native boys, a few of whom I met in his company.
Here I received intelligence of the arrival of the
barque " Mendi" at Monrovia, with my colleague Dr.
Delany on board.

On the 19th July we amved off Cape Coast Castle,

12. A PILGRIMAGE

situated in lat. 5° 6', N., long. !<> 5' W. The town is
not so low as either Bathurst or Lagos, but at the same
time not more healthy than either. It was originally
founded by the Portuguese ; the British became its
owners in 1672. The immediate site of the town wears
a very rugged and barren aspect, but there are some
beautiful green hills in the background where Indian
com and other products are cultivated. Gold dust is
the principal article of export — ^the gold is chiefly
brought from the* Ashantee countiy in the interior, but
the women procure small quantities after rain by wash-
ing the black sand scraped from the sea-beach and
water-courses. The landing is bad, although the native
canoe-men manage so well as seldom to wet their pas-
sengers. The inhabitants experience great want of
water, relying for their supply on wells and pools which
are frequently dry, and the latter sometimes muddy
and unwholesome. The natives are very industrious,
and manufacture tolerably fine articles of jewelry. The
women both of this place and of Acra wear a strange-
looking appendage to their dress immediately at the
base of the lumbar region. Bustle would be hardly an
appropriate term for it, as, although worn in about
the same position, the appearance is different ; and
though used as a support for infants, which Afri-
can women universally carry on their backs, it is

TO MY MOTHERLAND. . 13

evidently not intended solely for that purpose, as the
women in other sections of Africa carry their children
i^thout sucli support, and many use it who have
no children to carry. The women are generally very
tastefully attired, displaying about their persons many
trinkets of pure gold. .

Early in the morning of the 20th we found ourselves
anchored in the roads off Acra. This place is remarkable
for being both British and Dutch ; it is in fact simply
two forts, one owned by each party, and the people's
allegiance being thus divided, there is considerable
confusion in collecting taxes, etc. There were some
disturbances at the time of my visit, growing out of
this cause.

14 A PILGBIMAGE

CHAPTER n.

ABBITAL Ar LAGOS.

Bad bar — ^Landing miul under difficulties — ^Magnificent Spectacle —
Dexterous Canoe-men — Offering to the Water-demon — Sharks —
Mr. Turner — ^The Consulate, Lieut. Lodder — ^Disgusting Spectacle
— ^Lagos — ^Alcoholic Stimulants and Feyer — ^Emigrants — Cowries
— ^King Docemo— Eosoko, ex-King — A. Visit to the Palace— Un-
fortunate Adventure — ^The Lesson.

On the 21st July, early in the afternoon, our ship
anchored off Lagos.

Our arrival was at the most unpropitious season of
the year, the bar being then and during all June,
July, and August more dangerous than at any other
time ; we found it impossible to effect any communi-
cation except by signals. The next day some na-
tives were persuaded to come off from the beach;
the bar being still very unsafe, they carried off the
mails secured in a cask, and I, leaving my packages in
charge of a man who accompanied me from Manchester,
ventured to go on shore in their boat, which, however,
I would not have done had I been aware of the great
risk I incurred.

Could one but have divested himself of the sense of

TO MY HOTELEBLAND. 15

danger, tlie scene was magnificent — ^the huge " swells "
chasing each other, and our little bark now riding
victoriously on the crest of one, then engulfed in a
deep chasm between two others, rising high on both
si^es. It is perhaps impossible for men to evince more
dexterity than these natives in the control of their
canoes, especially on approaching the beach. There
were twelve men paddling with two others, one steer-
ing and the other in the prow watching the approach-
ing surges and directing accordingly. When near the
beach, the last, who is their head man, with much cere-
mony pours a few drops of rum on the water, and a
great deal more down his throat, after which he very
vehemently harangues, first I suppose the demon of
the water to whom the rum was offered, and then his
crew, cheering them for their work. There was another
native on the beach who gave directions of some sort
to the steersman by strange gesticulations; his appear-
ance, as he stood above a group of companions, himself
mounted on an inverted surf-boat with his loose gar-
ments waving in the air, presented a subject which
would have delighted an artist, and was indeed wildly
picturesque. It is necessary to watch carefully the re-
gular succedlsive rise and fall of the waves in order to
prevent them breaking over the boat. Within a few
yards of the beach they stop, " backing water" and

16 A PILGBIMAOE

watching intently their leader, then at a signal from
him, they dash on vigorously on the top of a wave.
As soon as the canoe touches, simultaneously they are
in the water, and seizing their frail craft, in an instant
bear her high and dry on the beach.

The bar of Lagos is dangerous chiefly on account
of the large number of sharks which are always ready
to make a repast on the bodies of the unfortunate oc-
cupants of any boat capsizing there.

The difficulties of the bar are not, however, insuper-
able : small vessels can always easily sail over it into
the fine bay within, where they can load or unload
with little trouble and without risk. It is not so easy
to go out again, however, for then it would be neces-
sary to '^ beat " against the wind ; but a small steam-
boat could at once take them out in tow with perfect
safety. I was informed that slavers used always to
enter the bay : they could of course afford to wait for
a favorable wind with which to get out. On landing I
was kindly received by a Mr. Turner, a re-captured
slave, educated at Sierra Leone by the British, and
now a respectable merchant at Lagos.

After partaking of some refreshments provided by
my hospitable friend, I was conducted to tJhe house of
Lieut. Lodder, the acting Consul, to whom I brought
a letter from Lord Malmesbury, British Minister for For-

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 17

eign Affairs in the late Derby Administration. My re-
ception was cordial, and I was afforded convenient ac-
commodation at the Consulate all the time I continued
at Lagos.

A disgusting spectacle presented itself at the en-
trance of the river: on the right margin stood two
bodies, transfixed by poles passing through their
mouths. They were nearly dry, and strange to say
were not disturbed by buzzards, although a great
number of these birds — ^fortunately very abundant in
Africa — were flying about them. They were two of
five men who were executed for robbery : one of them
was the son of a chief, and his connection with the
party gave rise to a great "palaver," his friends con-
tending that in consequence of his biith he should not
suffer a malefiictor's death, while others contended
that his crime had degraded him to the position of
other men, like whom he should answer for his of-
fenses.

Lagos is a small island about six miles in circumfer^

ence, located on the west coast of Africa, in the Bight

of Benin, Gulf of Guinea, lat. 6° 24' N., long. 3^ 22'

E. Like Bathurst, on the Gambia, it is very low,

and formed by an accumulation of sand. In some

places lower th«an the surface of the river, it is very

swampy from the infiltration of water. Tike many

1*

18 ' A' PILGRIMAGE ^

localities on the doast of tropiclal countries, it is un-
healthy. The prevailing disease is fever with chills:
with common pradence, however, there is nothing to
fear in this disease ; but if the person suffering from :it
will blindly persist in the use bf alcoholic stimulants,
the consequence might' be serioms. I am sorry to? say
that Europeans and others, generally indulge far tob
freely in these bevetages. In too many instaii6es,«I
believe the climate is blamed for the evils thus created.
After passing through what is called the acclimating
process,' which lasts during twelve or fifteen months,
one is seldom troubled again with fever.

The population of Lagos is estimated* at . about
thirty thousand : there are about: fifteen hundred em-
igrants ^from Sierra Leone, the Brazils and Cuba.
All these are themselves native Africans, brought
from the interior and sold on different parts of the
coast. Those from Sierra Leone ju-e. recaptured, and
the others redeemed slaves. Few are more than half
civilized. The white inhabitants number about twenty-
five, and include English, Germans, :French, Italian^,
and Portuguese. . A few very fine houses have 'been
erected near the water-gide, and others; were being-
built at the time of our departure. : They , use as
money small shells {Cyprcea Moneta) called cowries by
the Eng]ish, owu by the natives, this being, also the

• •' TO :MY MOTILERLAND. 19

-geiieral'term for money, i Thie yaTue^of !the' dollar and
its fractions, as.w.ell asi English curi:en4Qy, is w^ll iinder^.
stood and appreciated: hr is fast getting to be the
j3ame.atrAibbeokuta» -..>,.
. The.present .King pf . Lago^. is called, Docemo. He
jvras placed in- the positioA by the Ute. Consul Campbell,
after/ his brothieri rKopoko was deposed- for warring
.agsanstt the 'English, and for^his participation, in the
islave-tradei Kosokohas stiU a-fewadher^nts^ particu-
larlyamong the Europeans,: onlyrtiie- guns of H. M.
^un-boatV'Brune,'.' lying always lin the river, preserve
•the present King "his ; position, i Kosoko /livejs not far
from Lagos : h^ isisaid to^be cruel >aindktyr«QniGal, and
StiU claims to*' bc'the^'legitiniate £jng. of- the place.
' Oni^thSe imoraing-of'ithe first' of.tA.ugust I made a
•visit to hii^ Ms^e^tyKingcODQcemo; rliieut. Lodder, the
acting Consul, sent^ messenger tdthistMajesty, inform-
ing' him of' the intended vi8it,{and asldng hi$r permis-
•sionv which <being ebtainedy a ; party, .consisting of the
iC6mmander of Il*e SVBrune," .the. Pay piaster of H. M.
-S* Si *^ Medusa,'?., the acting.^Gons^l:*a^d!myseli5 pro-
ceedtitds ' We were received in Jjhe reception-room, and
•.some :dlairs,vinten€ledr solely., for such occasions, (for
neither the King. nor the members of his household sit
lOn chairs^) were offered us. After waiting a few min-
iUtes,;his Ms^esty, tastefully arrayed in a cloth" of plaid

20 A PILGRIMAGE

velvet, and gold embroidered slippers, presented him-
self, and was introduced to his visitors respectively.
The interview lasted about an hour. I told him briefly,
through the interpreter, our object in visiting Africa,
which seemed to give him much pleasure : s6 far as his
dominions extended, he said, emigrants might select
land suitable to their purpose, and he would gladly
give it. I thanked him for his offer, and then spoke
for a few minutes of the great results which must flow
from the development of a country like his, so blessed
with resources. In reference to an American emigrant
who came with me from Manchester, he inquired
whether he understood using oxen for agricultural
purposes : when answered in the affirmative, he seemed
rather incredulous. The other gentlemen had also
business to transact with the King, which rendered
our conversation rather brief

When I had been a few days at Lagos, Mr. Wil-
liams, a somewhat intelligent native, interpreter to the
Consul, invited me to see his farm on the mainland, a
few miles across the river. Accompanied by two other
persons, we left early in the morning before breakfast,
expecting to return in two hours at most. Reaching
the land, it was still necessary to journey a few miles
to the farm : though yet early, it was warm, and the
walk tiresome, so that I was obliged to rest myself on

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 21

a stamp while my companions proceeded to a little dis-
tance to plant some seed. Seeing a bird which I
wanted to preserve, alight a few yards off, I tried to
come within shot of it : before able to do so, it pur-
sued its flight. I followed and eventually shot it, but
in attempting to return I unfortunately took a direction
leading away from my first position. I wandered about
for more than two hours, shouting all the time at the
top of my voice to attract attention, for my ammuni-
tion being in the possession of my companions, I could
not fire my gun for that purpose, I soon found myself
in the midst of an almost impenetrable jungle, the
shrubbery and vines so thickly interlacing, that it was
with the greatest difficulty I could break through : the
ground too was swampy, and I sometimes sunk nearly
to my knees. By this time my friends were as busy
seeking me. I never felt more joyful than when I
heard their voice in response to my own. From hun-
ger, fatigue, heat of the sun, and excitement, I re-
turned home about 2 p.m., with severe headache and
fever. The next day I was worse, and continued ill
for several days. The reader has here my first initia-
tion into the African fever, and I might add that not a
few may trace their first attack to similar imprudence.
In such a climate a stranger should never leave his home
before breakfast, nor undertake very vigorous exercise
before he has passed the ordeal of acclimature.

22 .'A PILOBIUAQK

CHAPTER III,

JOURNEY TO ABBEOKUTA.

The Growthers — ^River Ogtin — Ogboi Creek — Nymphssa — ^Rhlzophora
Mangle^. Tillages in the Swamp! — Steam Nayigatioa om the
Ogmi — Fish-Snares 7— Current — ■, Rocky Be4 — r Crpss^ig on ,€alat
bashes — "Agayen " — Siibterranean , Streams — Arc — : Orange
Cottage.

I REMAINED at . Lsgos nearly six Greeks, and my.
colleague, Dr.* Delany, not having arrived, I deter^
mined on at once setting out for Abbeokuta; I left on
the 29th of August, accompanied by Messrs. Samuel
and Josiah Growther, sons of the worthy native mis-
sionary, the Rev. Samuel Crowther. .

The journey from Lagos to Abbeokuta is usually
made by canoes, np the river Ogun, th^ waters of
which empty into the bay of Lagos. Somewhat west
of its embouchui:e is the Ogboi cr6ek or- cut, commu-
nicating with the Ogun about ten or' twelve miles from
the bay. Canoe-m^ alwaya prefer reiaching. the river
by means of this cut, ais the distance : direct up the
river is greater. There was abundance of the beauti
ful water-plant " Nymphaea," now in flower, in places

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 23

where; the current was gentle, The land on both sides
the cut is low, swampy and thickly covered with man-
grove, {Hhizophora Mangle.) Notwithstanding, this,
there are two villages in the midst of the swamps, the
inhabitants of which enjoy good health, affording an
example of a fact often noticed in the West-Indies and
tropical America, that people might live with impunity
in the midst of regions from which is constantly dis-
tilled the most dangerous miasma.*

The.Ogun is navigable for steam-vessels of not over
five feet draft during seven or eight months of the
year, namely, from about a fortnight after the first rainy
season in May, to December, about a month after the
cessation of the last rains. After this time the quantity
of water diminishes rapidly, so that in February and
March an infimt could easily ford it at places where it
was not long before as deep and wide as the Schuyl-
kill at Philadelphia.

Vessels of the same draft can during the other
four or five months always ascend as far as Gaun,
about one third the distance. There being plenty of
water at the time I ascended, the journey to Abbeo-
kuta took five days. When the river is very high, or,
as in the last of the dry season, has but little water,

* See similar example in Backless Narrative, p. 195.

24 A PILGRIMAGE

the jouniey takes from ten to fifteen Hays. In the
former case it is necessary to proceed very slowly and
cautiously along the margin of the water, where frequent
obstructions are encountered, and in the latter, the
water being in many places only a few inches deep, the
canoes must often be unloaded and sometimes carried
over places where they could not possibly float. At
any time, however, except in the height of the rainy
season when the roads are much flooded, the journey
can be performed by land in two or three days. The
water is of a whitish tinge, from holding in suspension
argilaceous matter and minute fragments of the con-
stituents of granite, particularly feldspar. There is
abundance of fish, to catch which the natives attach
snares to strong ropes made from the stems of a species
of creeping palm, {Calamits,) passed across the river
and fastened on both sides to trees. These ropes offer
some impediments to navigation, frequently upsetting
canoes, and causing the loss of their freight. The cur-
rent, to within ten or fifteen miles of Lagos, is very
strong, due doubtless to the regular but very marked
elevation of the interior country. There is generally
an annual overflow of its banks. Although far more
water i^lls in the fonner rainy season in May, June and
July, than during the latter in September, October and
November, yet the river never overflows tUl in the

TO MT MOTHERLAND. 25

latter season, since the former rains are eagerly absorbed
by the soil, which with every thing else is then exceed-
ingly dry from the prevalence of the harmattan winds
immediately previous. Many large trees are then
washed away and drifted into the channel, which is
very troublesome to travellers on the river. There are
extensive forests on the banks, from which fuel could
be obtained in abundance, and which would furnish
considerable freight in the form of timber to both Ab-
beokuta and Lagos. It offers also fine facilities in some
places for water-power.

Above Abbeokuta, on account of the very rocky
character of its bed, the Ogun is not navigable even
for canoes. At places, however, where it intersects the
roads, <5anoes could in the rainy season be used with
advantage to convey goods and passengers across, but
the natives use instead large calabashes, on which the
passenger sits, the ferryman swimming and pushing his
freight before him. They not only prefer the use of
calabashes, but will have nothing whatever to do with
canoes, and affect to despise those who use them. Not
unfrequently I heard the term " agayen" reproachfully
applied by the people of the interior towns to my in-
terpreter and other persons from places on or near the
sea-coast. The word simply means canoeT-men.

I crossed the Ogun in three places above Abbeokuta;

26 A PILGRIMAGE

the first time between Oyo and Isehin, next between
Biocu and Beracudu, and finally between the last place
and Abbeokuta, distant respectively five days, two
days, and two hours' journey from Abbeokuta, the day's
journey being from twenty-five to 'thirty miles. At
these places I found the bed of the river covered to
such an extent with masses of granite rock, that it could
be easily crossed dryshod by stepping from stone to
stone, although fully twenty-five yards wide. I found
also the water wider and deeper than it is from Abbeo-
kuta to ten miles below. The reason of this perhaps
is that the irregular rocky surface of its bed above
Abbeokuta retards the progress of the water, and for
the same reason it is not absorbed as it is below Abbeo-
kuta, where the bed is sandy. We found aU through
the country brooks and rivulets apparently dry in some
places, while at other points lower down the course, the
water was gushing out clear and sweet. It is possible
too to procure water by making slight excavations in
the apparently dry sandy beds of what had been in the
rainy season impassable rivers.

On the 4th September we anived at Aro, where we
found horses awaiting us, for the Crowthers had sent
before to order them. Aro is the landing-place for the
city of Abbeokuta in the rainy season; Agbamiya, a point
lower down the river, being used in the dry season.

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 27

It, the former is four miles below Ake, the business
centre of the city, and about a mile and a half from the
city gate. Above Aro the river is too rocky to permit
canoes to ascend into the city. This place is doubtless
destined to become of considerable importance ; already
all the merchants have depots there, and hereafter will
also find it of advantage to make it their residence,
when it is likely to be included in the city limits. In
little more than an hour after we left Aro, we were
comfortably domiciled at " Orange Cottage," the
beautiful little dwelling of my kind companions, the
Crowthers.

28 A PILGBIMAGB

CHAPTER IV.

ABBEOKUTA.

Introduction to the "Alake" — ^Royal attire — ^Wives, over one
hundred — Ogboni Elders — Native Game, Wart — ^Visit to the Chiefs.

Acting - Consul Lieut. Lodder had furnished me
with a letter of introduction to his Majesty Okukenu,
Alake of Abbeokuta, which I was anxious to present.
The Reverend Henry Townsend of the Church Mis-
sionary Society kindly accompanied me. My reception
by the King was very cordial. I explained to him
the object of my visit to the country, which he was
pleased to hear. He observed that for people coming
with such purposes, and for missionaries, he had great
" sympathy," and would afford every encouragement ;
but that some of the people (emigrants from the
Brazils, Cuba, and Sierra Leone) who were now com-
ing into his dominion, especially traders, gave him
much trouble. His body above the loins was nude ;
otherwise his attire consisted of a handsome velvet
cap trimmed with gold, a costly necklace of coral, and
a double strand of the same ornament about his loins,
with a velvet cloth thrown gracefully about the rest

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 29

of his person, under which he wore his shocoto, a sort
of loose trowsers reaching only to the knees. One
of his wives (he has more than a hundred) was seated
on the same mat fanning him. He fondled on his
knees an infant, and eight or ten of his other little
children, all about the same age, were gamboling around
him. On his right were seated several very old men
dressed in white cloths, elders of the Ogboni coun-
cil, with one or other of 'whom his majesty usually
plays at the native game of wari^ a description of
which is given in another place. He offered me the
only chair in his establishment. The Reverend Mr.
Townsend, being an intimate acquaintance, sat on an
end of his mat. A few slaves, by the by, his chief ad-
ministrative officers, also sat near him. He presented
me on my departure a head of cowries, worth nearly
fifty cents. During the next few days I visited the
principal chiefs, to explain the object of my visit and
to make to each a small present. Though humble, these
presents were well received and in every instance a
return present of cola nuts, {cola sterculia acuminata^)
or of cowries was given. The natives generally at
first regarded me as a white man, until I informed
them of my connection with the Negro. This an-
nouncement always gained me a warmer reception.
The reader here will permit me to digress to explain

30 A PILGRIMAGE

a matter respecting which there has hitherto been some
misconception. It has been asserted that the native
African does not manifest tinder any circumstance the
same deference for colored men, as he does for white
men ; and so fully is this believed, particularly in the
United States, that both my colleague Dr. Delany and
myself were frequently cautioned respecting the danger
to which we should be exposed in consequence of our
complexion. It is indeed true that more respect has
been accorded to white men, on account of their
superior learning and intelligence, than to the general-
ity of semi-civilized black men from the Brazils and
other places, who now live in the Aku country ; but
it is a great mistake to think that the same is withheld
from colored men similarly' endowed with their white
brethren. Let any disinterested person visiting Ab-
beokuta, place himself in a position to notice the
manner in which such a person, for instance, as the
Reverend Samuel Crowther, or even his son of- the
same name, each a pure Negro, is treated, and he would
soon perceive the profound respect with which Africans
treat those of their own race worthy of it. The white
man who supposes himself respected in Africa, merely
because he .is white, is grievously mistaken. I have
had opportunities to know, that if he should, presuming
on his complexion, disregard propriety in his bearing

TO MY MOTHEBLAXD. 31

towards the authorities, he would receive as severe
rebuke as a similar offense would bring him in England.
One of the chiefs of Abbeokuta, Atambala, was with
us one day when a young missionary entered, and
passed him with only a casual nod of the head. As
soon a& he was seated the haughty old chief arose and
Slid, in his own tongue : " Young man, whenever any
of my people, even the aged, approaches me, he
prostrates himself with his face to the ground. I do
not expect the same from you, or from civilized men,
{oyibo^ nevertheless remember always that I shall de-
mand all the respect du6 to a chief of Abbeokuta."
A sufficient apology was given, and the matter ended,
not without, it is hoped, teaching a salutary lesson.

"fhe king of Abbeokuta, whose person is considered
too sacred for the popular gaze, is never permitted
to leave the palace except on special occasions, and
then he only goes into the open space without the
palace-gates, one of his wives being in attendance
to screen his face with a large fan. So with the
king of Oyo, who once or twice only in the year
exhibits himself to the public, decorated in his best
robes and wearing a crown of coral. At these times
any one can stare at his majesty with impunity. In
Ilorin the king may not be seen, except as a mark
of special favor, even by those to whom he affiords
the privilege of an audience.

32 A PILGRIMAGE

If the reader will permit the expression, Abbeokuta
might be said to be in form an irregular circle. The
circumference of its outer wall, for in some parts of
the city there are three walls, is about twenty-three
miles. It was originally formed of over one hundred
townships, each independent and governed by its own
chief. The people are of the Egba tribe of the Akus,
sometimes incorrectly called Yorubas. About fifty
years ago, wars with the surrounding tribes, parti^cu-
larly with the Yorubas, had disorganized their nation,
the greatest number of their people being enslaved,
and sent to the Brazils, Cuba, and other places ; many
of theni were also recaptured by British cruisers and
taken to Sierra Leone. A few flying before their
relentless enemy, and wandering from place to place,
at length found refuge beneath a shelf of rock now
called " Olumo ;" this hiding-place is said to havfe
been before the den of a band of robbers. Advantage
was taken of the security thus afforded, by otheus of
the Egba tribe, and their number continued to in-
crease until they felt strong enough- to form a town
and build a wall. In a short time that town, as before
stated, contained the remnants of over one hundred
townships, and became too powerful to be successfully
assaulted by their enemies. The walls now include
a number of huge hills of superior building granite,

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 33

the quarrying of which will doubtless yield large profit
to its inhabitants at no remote day.

They called the town very appropriately, "Abbeo-
kuta," which means under a rock. It is now estimated
to' contain more than one hundred thousand inhabit-
ants, and its population is fast increasing by accessions,
not only from the surrounding tribes, who find in it
greater security for life and property, but also from
many of those, and their descendants, who were sold
away as slaves.

Although the people have increased, one is at a loss
to divine what has become of the chiefs of so many
townships. One after another they have fallen olF,
and their successors have either never been appointed
or are too insignificant to command attention. The
treaty we concluded with the authorities of the place
was signed by only seven chiefs, the king's signature
not included. To them ye were sent specially by the
king, an act which seemed. to indicate, either that they
alone were of sufficient consequence to take part in
such a matter, or that they, by common consent, were
deemed the representatives of the rest.

The language of the Egbas, is the same as that of

the Yorubas, Ijebus and other neighboring tribes,

concerning which the author of " Polyglotta Africana"

makes the following just remarks : " For the last few

2*

34 A PILGBIMAGE

years they have very erroneously made use of the name
Yoruba, in reference to the whole nation, supposing
that the Yoruba is the most powerful Aku tribe, but
the appellation is liable to far greater objection than
that of Aku, and ought to be forthwith abandoned ;
for it is, in the first place, unhistorical, having never
been used of the whole Aku nation by any body, except
for the last few years conventionally by the mission-
aries ; secondly, it involves a twofold use of the word
' Yoruba,' which leads to a confusion of notions ; for
in one instance the same word has to be understood
of a whole, in another only of a part ; and thirdly,
the name being thus incorrect, can never be received
by the different tribes as a name for the whole nation."
Viewed as to its power of enforcing order, and
affording security for life and property, the government
of Abbeokuta is as efficient as a civilized government
can be, and it accomplishes th^e ends with the greatest
ease and simplicity. Punishment is always summary
and certain ; notwithstanding, nobody complains of
injustice. The penalty for theft is extreme, being
either decapitation or foreign slavery. Before the ad-
vent of missionaries and civilized people adultery was
sometimes also a capital offense ; now it is modified to
heavy fines, the amount of which is always proportioned
to the position and wealth of the offender. Cases of

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 35

adultery often occur, and must be expected until they
are taught to abandon the disgusting system of poly-
gamy.

The tenure of property is as it is among civilized
people, except as to land, which is deemed common
property ; every mdividual enjoys the right of taking
unoccupied land, as much as he can tcse^ wherever
and whenever he pleases. It is deemed his property
as long as he keeps it in use ; after that, it is again
common property. This custom is observed by all
the Akus.

The surviving relatives of one buried on any lot of
ground, have a right to that ground which nothing can
tempt them to relinquish, and from respect to the sen-
timent, no one would invade, on any pretext, particu-
larly when the deceased was a mother or father. Mr.
S. Crowther, Jr., has long desired to possess a strip of
land contiguous to his place of business, but no offer of
money can induce the owner to part with it, although
he is very poor ; because his father lies buried there.

36 A PILGRIMAGE

CHAPTER V

NATIVE AUTHORITIES.

Peculiarity of Government — "Ibashorun" or Prime Minisier —
Shukenu — "His Highness Ogubonna," Friend of Civilization—
" You are of my own kindred " — Atambala — Ag6— Mr. Crowther
and the Doctors — Order of Succession — Departments of Grovern-
ment — ^Shodeke.

The government of Abbeokuta is peculiar, combin-
jng the monarchical, the patriarchal, and no small
share of the republican. Almost every free man,
woman and child is a member of the Ogboni Lodge,
of which there is one in every township or chiefdom.
These lodges are presided over by elders of their own
election, and the elders at the decease of the chief
choose his successor from his relatives, generally his
brother, seldom or never from among his own sons, as
hereafter explained. The successor of the king is also
choosen by the chiefs and elders combined, their act
being subseqliently ratified by the people, assembled
en masse. It is in this that the republican element of
the government of Abbeokuta is recognized. There
is, as already observed, a king, the Alake, or chief of
Ake, which place ranks first among the numerous

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 37

townships. He is a good-natured fat old gentleman,
giving himself only so much concern about public
affairs as to secure the good will of his rather turbu-
lent chiefs, to whom perhaps a ruler of more active
temperament would be less welcome ; there are times,
however, when he has been roused to great energy
and decision of character. Next in order of authority
is the Ibashorun or Prime Minister, who is also in
times of war commander in chief. He too is a man of
rather cumbersome proportions, powerful on account
of his wealth and the number of soldiers his household
furnishes in time of war, still, not personally celebrated
for military prowess. The chief next in order is Shu-
kenu, perhaps more corpulent than the Ibashorun.
Wealthy, powerful, haughty and courageous, he is
nevertheless not free from the charge of cruelty.
Scarcely a chief in Africa afforded us a more hearty
welcome. Ogubonna, or as the English, to whom he
is well known, style him, " His Highness Ogubonna,"
comes next. He calls himself, not inappropriately,
the Friend of Civilization ; he is a man of large stature,
fine proportion, and in all as fine-looking a Negro as
I ever saw. Ko one could mistake him for any other
than a chief, so commanding and dignified is his bear-
ing. On the occasion of my first visit to his Highness,
as usual he was informed of my African origin. " From

38 A PILGBIMA6E

what part of Africa," asked he, " did your grandmother
come ?" As this was a point on which I possessed no
information, I could not give him a satisfactory answer.
He remained silent for a short time, and at last said :
" How can I tell but that you are of my own kindred,
for many of my ancestors were taken and sold away."
From that day he called me relative, and of course
as every other African had as good a claini to kindred-
ship, I soon found myself generally greeted as such.
Adjoining the American Baptist Mission Station, at
which we sojourned while at Abbeokuta, is the com-
pound of the chief Atambala. Less powerful and
wealthy than his colleagues, he is still a very important
personage in the councils of the nation, chiefly on ac-
count of his cunning. Every important mission re-
quiring the exercise of such characteristic, is intrusted
to him, and it is seldom that he fails : he is also a great
orator.' In personal appearance he is tall, but not as
stout as the other chiefs spoken of above, and al-
though fully eighty years old, he maintains much
youthful vigor and comeliness. I am indebted to him
for many kind offices. There are the names of three
other chiefe attached to our treaty, but my acquaint-
ance with them arose from only a single interview,
and I am therefore unable to speak of them. I might,
however, be permitted to mention that at our inter-

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 39

•

view with Age, whose name is found mentioned last in
our treaty, as usual it was necessary to. mentiou my
origin, for the Africans are not as keen in the recogni-
tion of their descendants, as are the Americans of the
same class of persons. On learning this, he took hold
of my hand and shook it heartily ; and drawing me
toward him, he threw his arms about my. neck, and
pressed me with warmth. He has since died: for
many months he was a cripple. No one has been
more conspicuous in the affairs of his country, or was
more respected by his people, than this good old man.
There are many doctors — ^physicians, I might have
said — ^throughout the Aku country ; and they ai^ as
jealous of their profession, and as opposed to innova-
tion in practice, as the most orthodox disciple of
u^sculapius amongst us can be. Shortly after the re-
turn of Mr. S. Crowther, Jr., from London, where he
received the training of a surgeon, several of these
doctors, hearing that he was prescribing for many who
were before their patients, assembled en masse in the
market-place, and after due deliberation issued an " in-
junction" that he shoiild forthwith abandon his prac-
tice. Some of the foremost of them were deputed to
communicate the decree of the faculty. They were
cordially received, and heard with patience. After
some conversation, Mr. C. informed them that he was

40 A FILGSIMAGE

•

willing to obey, but only after a trial on both sides
should prove him to be the less skilled in the mysteries
of the profession. To this they consented. Time was
given for preparation on both sides. In the afternoon
the regulars appeared, clothed in their most costly gar-
naents, and well provided with orishas or charms at-
tached to all parts of their pei*sons and dress. In the
mean time Mr. Crowther had also prepared to receive
them. A table was placed in the middle of the room,
and oh it a dish in which were a few drops of sul-
phuric acid, so placed that a slight motion of the table
would cause it to flow into a mixture of chlorate of
potassa and white sugar. A clock was also in the
room, from which a small bird issued every hour, and
announced the time by cooing. This was arranged so
as to coo while they were present. Mr. Crowther
then made a brief harangue, and requested them to
say who should lead olF in the contest. This privilege
they accorded to him. The door was closed, the cur-
tains drawn down. All waited in breathless expecta-
tion. Presently the bird came out, and to their aston-
ishment cooed twelve times, and suddenly from the
midst of the dish burst forth flame and a terrible ex-
plosion. The scene that followed was indescribable:
one fellow rushed through the window and scam-
pered; another in his consternation, overturning
chairs, tables and every thing in his way, took refuge

A

TO MY MOTHEBULND. 41

in the bed-room, under the bed, from which he was
with difficulty afterwards removed. It need not be
added that they gave no more trouble, and the prac-
tice they sought to break up was only the more in-
creased for their pains.

Although the person made king must be of the
royal family, yet a son seldom succeeds, but usually a
brother by the same mother, or a son -of a sister, also
of the same mother. Such a person is certainly a rela-
tive, while from circumstances growing out of the sys-
tem of polygamy, the son of from fifty to two hundred
wives might not be the child of the husband. Pro-
perty also descends in the same manner.

The appointment of the king devolves on the chiefs
and elders of the Ogboni, the latter of course all old
men. Some of them are men of great influence them-
selves, and as their power would be limited by an effi-
cient monarch, they are not likely to choose such.

The King, or Alake, as he is called, is not, as in civi-
lized countries, the executive : his office seems to be
more to preside at all important councils. He exer-
cises other functions not well understood by strangers.
The government is divided into several departments.
The Elders constitute the judiciary. The officers of
the Ogboni,* a secret order, exercise legislative funcr

* This order is accessible to persons of any age or sex, but not to
slaves.

42 A PILGBIAIAGK

tioDS. The executive department devolves on Oro, an
imaginary deity, of which mention shall be made here-
after.

The present Alake succeeded Shodeke, a man so
venerated as to be ranked among the demigods.
Every one whe knew him has something to recount of
the virtue of Shodeke.

The support of the king and chiefs is derived from
the offerings of their slaves, and of those who bring
controversies to them for settlement.

J

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 43

CHAPTER VI.

MISCELLAN^EOUS.

African Cities— Forms of " Compounds " — Native Food — Cloth-
ing — Industry — Percolator — Blacksmiths — Iron^smelting —
Weaving — Farming Implements — Indigo — Palm-oil Facto-
ries — " Taffi " — Traders — Personal Habits — Cola-nuts — Na-
tFve Affability — Onoshoko, "Father of the King"- — Polygamy —
Slavery — ^African Honor — Symmetry of Form — Calisthenics —
Archery — ^Native Games, of Skill — Stray Fact — ^Wild Bees — ^An
Adventure — ^Funeral — ^Processions — Discovery of Abbeokuta.

In African native cities there are no streets such as
would be called so in a civilized country. The houses
or compounds are scattered according to the discre-
tion or taste of their owners ; lanes, always crooked,
and frequently very narrow, being left between them.
These dwellings are sometimes very large, including in
many instances accommodation for from twenty to two
hundred inmates, especially in those of some of the
wealthier chiefs, which are sometimes tenanted by
over three hundred people.

The usual form of a compound is square, and is
bounded by a wall against which the rooms are com-
monly built. The walls are of mud, but are some-

44 A PILGRIMAGE

times very straight and smooth. In some of the mis-
sion-houses, which are likewise of mud, but plastered,
a stranger would not suspect the material.

In the area within the inclosure are gathered their
sheep, goats and so forth, at nights. In almost every
one of these dwellings there is a large dove-cot, in
which are" bred hundreds of common domestic pigeons.
They are very fond of raising chickens, ducks and
other poultry.

The food of the Egbas, as well as of all the tribes
between Lagos and Ilorin, is very simple, consisting
chiefly of a preparation called eko : com is macerated
in water until fermentation ensues. It is then crushed
between stones, and the chaff separated by washing.
The milky liquor is then boiled in large pots until it
assumes a consistency somewhat stiffer than cream,
which as it cools becomes as firm as jelly. The taste
is rather unpleasant at first, but one seldom fails to like
it after persisting in its use. A portion of it nearly as
large as a penny-roll, wrapped in leaves, is sold for five
cowries, or about a mill. An adult native consumes
from four to eight at a meal, taking with it as a relish
a few spoonsful of obe^ or "palaver-sauce," as the
Sierra Leone folks call it. Palaver-sauce is made by
cooking t#gether palm-oil, pepper, ocros,* locust-seed,

* Abelmosclius (Hibiscus) Esculentus.

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 45

ogiii and several esculent herbs. Leaving out the
ogiri, which stinks dreadfully, ohe is certainly very
fine, but the natives greatly prefer it with ogiri, just
as certain Epicureans do tainted venison. Ground
beans and pepper, fried in oil, called acraa ; cooked
yams, beaten with water in a wooden mortar, /w/m/
with certain other preparations of corn, rice, etc., also
form part of their diet. Native beer or oti is plenti-
ful, cheap and sometimes good. It is made either
from maize or Guinea com. As with the brewing of
beer in civilized countries, the grain is suffered to ger-
minate in order to develop saccharine matter. They
have, however, no means of arresting fermentation,
and hence the beer can not keep. Another very fine
drink is made from the sap which flows from incisions
made in the palm-tree. *

The people are not nude, as many suppose Africans
to be generally. Of course wo except children, and
even they are not always so. The apparel of a man
consists of a shocoto, cloth and cap. The shocoto is a
sort of loose trowsers, fastened with a string directly
above the hips. He dispenses with the cloth when at
labor. Instead of this cloth the wealthy wear a tobe,
a loose large garment, worn over the shoulders, and
falling below the knees : they are generally hand-
somely embroidered. Sometimes, however, a cloth of

46 A PILGRIMAGE

velvet, silk or some other expensive material is substi-
tuted. Instead of the shocoto, men and boys are
sometimes seen with garments made exactly like the
kilts of the Scotch Highlanders ; the cloth too is worn
in much the same way as the Highlander's plaid. The
attire of the women is even more simple, consisting of
one or two cloths passed round the body. They wear
besides a sort of turban, and in a few instances,, another
cloth over the breast and shoulders. The costume of
some Africans costs as much as that of many of the
most extravagant dandies of civilized countries.

"We met several of those individuals who though en-
tirely of Negro parentage, are white, from the absence
of pigmentum or coloring matter from the skin, hair
and eyes ; both in features and texture of hair, how-
ever, they still resemble the Negro. But' little is
known of this phenomenon, notwithstanding the fact
that it is common to all races of men, and even to in-
ferior animals,^ white horses, birds, mice, etc., being
often seen. A fact which we observed, is perhaps not
yet known, namely, that between the albino proper,
and those in whom there is a normal development of
pigmentum, there are individuals possessing more or
less color, so that if a series were formed em-
bracing both extremes, the difference between any
consecutive two would be hardly perceptible. The

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 47

first digressions are characterized by a reddish tuige
of hair, and complexion in harmony, but difficult to
describe. These characteristics are observed still more
prominent in other individuals, and thus on, till some
are found with complexions as light as mulattoes, al-
though not otherwise like them. From these the de-
viation still continues, till at length the pevfect albino
is found. Albinos, whether of the Indian, Negro or
white race, are not uncommon in America, but they
seldom attract attention, as without particular observa-
tion they seem like ordinary white men. For in-
stance, one of the most prominent editors of a daily
newspaper in New-York, is an albino. The term was
first applied by the Portuguese towards these people.
They can not well endure exposure to bright daylight,
their eyes lacking the protection which is afforded to
others by the color in the iris, etc.

Not long since, and even now, there are not a few
who regai'd the African to be like the snake or alliga-
tor, a lazy creature, whose life is spent basking in the
sunshine, and subsisting on roots and herbs or what«
ever else of food within reach of his arm. A Negro
friend of mine mentioned to no less a personage than a
professor in a medical school in America, that he had
read in the work of Denham and Clapperton, that wo-
men are commonly seen in Africa spinning by the

48 A PILGEIMAGE

road-side, and selling boiled potatoes, roast-meats, etc.
" Nonsense," said he, " that is all English romance :
can you believe such folly?" Nevertheless I assert,
and appeal to every one who has visited this section
of Africa to verify my assertion, that there is not a
more ' industrious people on the face of the earth.
Rise as early as you please and enter a native com-
pound, and you will there find the women engaged at
their varied occupations. Go at night as late as you'
please, and there by the feeble light of her lamp she is
seen in the act of labor, spinning, weaving or pre-
paring food for the ensuing day. There is not a child
among the Akus — I say nothing of other African
tribes — ^who is not instructed in some means of realiz-
ing a living. The men are builders, blacksmiths, iron-
smelters, tanners and leather-workers, tailors, carpen-
ters, calabash-carvers, weavers, basket, hat and mat-
makers, farmers : the women weave, spin, dye, cook,
brew, make pots, oils, soap and I know not what else.
Not many years since, much attention was excited
among practical chemists by the invention of the Per-
colator, an apparatus for extracting in a very short
time the virtues of medicinal herbs, etc. Essentially
the same contrivance is used, and has been used from
time immemorial by the native Africans, in making lye
from ashes for the manufacture of soap, and for dye-

TO MT MOTHBBLAND. 49

ing. A small aperture is made in the bottom of a
large earthen vessel, which is covered with straw and
then filled with ashes. This is placed over a similar
vessel, so as slightly to enter it. Water is then suf-
fered to percolate slowly through the first vessel into
the second, which as it does so Extracts all the soluble
matter from the ashes.

Although the native blacksmiths frequently execute
very fine productions of their art, yet their apparatus
is very rude. They work sitting on the ground.
Their bellows is hewn out of a block of wood about
three feet long, and six or seven inches deep, in the
form of two cups connected by a tube, to the middle
of which another tube of clay is attached, through
which the current of air is propelled. The two cavi-
ties are each covered with a sack of untanned hide,
and a stick of wood about three feet long is fastened
to each sack. A little boy having hold of the ends of
these sticks, lifts and depresses them alternately, and
thus secures the action. Although different in appear-
ance, these bellows operate on the same principle as
those of civilized construction. For fuel they use
charcoal made from the hard shell surrounding the
kernel of the palm-nut.

I passed through two iron-smelting villages on the
road between Oyo and Isehin in Toruba, but they were

3

60 A pilgbimage'

not in operation, as the war, of which mention shall be
made hereafter, had driven the inhabitants into the
larger towns for protection. The furnaces, or the
portion of them above the surface of the earth, are
made of clay. They are in the form of cylinders,
about thirty inches high ; the diameter of the bases
about six feet. A hole is made in the upper base,
communicating both with six or seven similar holes
around the convex surface, and, by a small orifice,
with a large cavity underground and beneath the cy-
linder. In this, immediately under the orifice, I found
a mass of slag. They use charcoal for fuel, which
they produce in abundance in the forests in the midst
of which these villages are usually located..

The apparatus of the weavers is very simple.
There are two kinds, one used by the men, producing
cloth of only a few inches in width, and another by
the women, producing cloth as wide as of English
manufacture. The men can make cloth of an indefi-
nite length : the apparatus used by the women limits
the length of the cloth to about two and a half yards.
I forbear a description of either of these contrivances,
as such as I could make would hardly be intelligible.

The implements of the farmers are only two, a bill-
hook and hoe. The hoe is not bad in itself, but very
badly mounted for use by a civilized fanner. The

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 51

handles are short, rendering it necessary for the opera-
tor to stoop in using them. The soil is prepared by
heaping the surface-earth in hills, close together and
regularly in parallel lines. Cotton, yams, corn, cassava,
beans, grow close together in the same field.

The beautiful blue, almost purple dye of their
cloths is not from the common indigo-plant of the
East and West-Indies, but from a large climbing plant.
The leaves and shoots are gathered while young and
tender. They are then crushed in wooden mortars,
and the pulp made up in balls and dried. For dyeing,
a few of these baUs are placed in a strong lye made
from ashes, and suffered to remain until the water be-
comes offensive from the decomposition of vegetable
matter. The cloths are then put in, and moved about
until sufficiently colored. There are dyeing establish-
ments in all the towns from Lagos to Horin.

Palm-oil factories, as one would suppose from the
quantity of the oil exported from Lagos and other
pai-ts of the West- African coast, are very numerous.
The process of extracting the oil is simple. The nuts
are gathered by men. From one to four or five wo-
men separate them from the integuments. They are
then passed on to other women, who boil them in
large earthen pots. Another set crush off the fibre in
mortars. This done, they are placed in large clay vats

52 A PIL6SIMAGB

filled with water, and two or three women tread out
the serai-liquid oil, which comes to the surface as dis-
engaged from the fiber, where it is collected and again
boiled to get rid of the water which mechanically ad-
heres to it.^ The inner surface of these clay vats, hav-
ing at first absorbed a small quantity of oil, is not af-
terwards affected either by the water or oil. It is said
that palm-oil loses its color by being kept for some
time at the boiling temperature.

No part of the palm-nut is wasted. . The oil being
extracted, the fibre, which still retains some oil, is
dried and used for kindling. The kernel is used for
making another oil, adi^ excellent for burning in lamps
and making native soap. The hard shell or pericarp is
burnt for charcoal and used by the native blacksmiths.
They prepare several other kinds of oil, such as agusi,
beni, and ori, . or shea butter. The last, which pos-
sesses medicinal virtues, is now exported from Abbeo-
kuta.

Palm-oil, considering the profit which it brings the
manufacturer, the abundant growth of the plant which
yields it, and the great and increasing demand for it,
is destined to become of great commercial importance.

The native women all through the country prepare
from the juice of the sugar-cane, by boiling, a sort of
"taffi." The cane is cut in short bits, crushed in a

TO MY MOTHKSLAND. 53

large wooden mortar, and the juice wrung out, fil-
tered and boiled to the consistence of candy. While
at Ilorin and without sugar, we often used this prepa-
ration to sweeten our coffee. The reader who knows
any thing of the process of sugar-making will perceive
from this that all the knowledge necessary to make
these people sugar-makers, is that a small quantity of
lime must be added to the juice in order to coiTcct
the acidity which begins to generate as soon as it is
expressed. In this way many of the peasantry of the
West-Indies prepare their own sugar, and often also
for sale.

The Akus are great traders. Such a thing as over-
reaching them in a bargain is unknown. In no in-
stance do they ever charge for an article what they ex-
pect to get for it. " How much for this ?" says the
purchaser. " One head," replies the vender. " Won't
you take forty strings ?" " Bring on your cowries,"
is the reply. "Won't you take thirty strings?"
" Bring on your money :" and thus on until the mini-
mum is attained, when he replies : " Not a cowrie
less." If the price suits the purchaser, well ; if not,
he passes on to another trader, when much the same
dialogue ensues.

Several of the personal habits of the natives are re-
markable. The men universally shave, not only the

54 A FILGBIMAGB

beard, but the eye-brows, within the nostrils, (the na-
tive razors are adapted to this,) and frequently the en-
tire head. Many leave a strip of hair from the fore-
head, over the crown of the head, down to the back
of the neck. The Mohammedans leave also a little
tuft of hair on the chin. We met two or three men at
Horin with whiskers. The margin of the eye-lids is
blackened with pulverized sulphuret of antimony,
which every native carries about with him for the
purpose. The women dye the palm of the hands,
finger-nails and feet with ground camwood. Some-
times when about to participate in religious observ-
ances, their entire person is colored in this way. They
pay great attention to the teeth, using the chewed
ends of certain roots for the purpose of brushes, as do
the people of the West-Indies, where the custom was
doubtless introduced by Africans. Except some little
children, we met nobody who did not use tobacco. It
is used in the form of snuff, not taken into the nostrils,
but on the tongue. A small quantity of benin-seed
and of lubi^ a native impure carbonate of soda, is
ground with the snuff. They use the Brazilian roll-
tobacco, aboi^t twenty per cent of the weight of
which is treacle. There are a few who smoke, prin-
cipally emigrants from Sien-a Leone, Cuba and the
Brazils.

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 65

As might be expected, the use of ardent spirits
is very common; yet the natives are seldom seen
drunk, the regulations of their Ogboni lodges for-
bidding it.

Colarnuts, {cola acuminata,) a bitter and slightly
astringent vegetable, are used by all, although in some
places expensive. It probably counteracts the effects
of the laxative character of their food. Whenever
any one wishes to show particular mark of respect
to his guest, he presents him, with great formality,
a few cola-nuts. A little boy or girl brings a covered
vessel, the best in the house, and prostrating, presents
it. Abundant thanks and salutations follow. They have
a proverb which says : " Anger draws arrows from the
quiver : good words draw cola-nuts from the bag."*

There is not a more afl^ble people found any where
than are the Akus. Not even Frenchmen are more
scrupulous in their attention to politeness than they.
Two persons, even utter strangers, hardly ever pass
each other without exchanging salutations, and the
greatest attention is paid to the relative social position
of each in their salutations. Equals meeting will
simply say, aeu / but one addressing a superior affixes
some word to ocw, thus, ctcabo^ {acu dbo, f ) acuni^ etc

* See Crowther'fl Vocabulary of the Toruba language,
f One vowel dropped for euphony.

66 A FILGBIMAGB

The superior usually salutes first, and when the dis
parity of position is great, the inferior prostrates.
The young always prostrate to the aged. Women
kneel, but never prostrate. Sons, without reference to
age or rank, prostrate to their mothers or senior
female relatives. They never suffer any thing to in-
terfere with the observance of these courtesies.
There is an appropriate salutation for every occasion
for instance : acaaro^ good morning ; acucde^ good
evening; acushe^ for being industrious; acabOy or
(zetKzbOy (ua as diphthong,) for returning from a jour-
ney ; acatijoy for'long absence ; acujoco^ for sitting or
resting ; dcudaro^ for standing or walking ; cLcuraju^
expressive of sympathy, in distress or sickness;
actierUy for bearing a burthen; acucdejo^ for enter-
taining a stranger. So rich is the language in saluta-
tions, that the above list could have been increased
indefinitely.

At Oyo, the capital of the Toruba nation, there
is an old man, apparently in a very humble position,
for no one is more condescending and courteous than
he. He is, nevertheless, no less a personage than the
Onoshoko, or "Father of the King," an officer of
state so called. In the event of the king's demise, the
privilege of choosing a successor devolves on him;
hence his position is really very exalted : besides, he is

TO MY MOTHKBLAND. 67

the party with whom the king is bound to advise on
all important affairs. It is customary for men in high
positions, the king's relatives, chief Balaguns, and so
forth, to construct in front of their houses certain
tunet-like contrivances, called by them akaM. The
king offered Onoshoko to construct akabis in front of
his house, as his position and rank demanded them.
" No," said the old man, " Onoshoko is well enough
without akabis. Let not any one be able to say, from
my example, that he too must have akabis : honor be-
longs to the king only." He is the only man in the
kingdom who is privileged to approach the king
without prostrating, nevertheless he insists on do-
ing so, explaining his conduct always by the remark
that he, in his respect to the king, would ever be an
example for others to copy. The king himself, deter-
miAing not to be outdone, whenever Onoshoko enters
the palace-yard, prostrates to the old man ; and it is
'common for those about the palace to see one of them
stealthily approaching the other, in order first to as-
sume this position of respect.

Except with the few Africans who have been
brought under the influence of Christianity, polygamy
is universal. A man's position in society is estimated
either by his bravery in war, or his wealth; and he
can only manifest the latter by the number of his

3*

58 A PILGBIMAOE

•

wives, children and daves. From this circamstance
men are frequently reported wealthy, and yet in
emergencies can not raise ten bags of cowries, (about
$40.) Wives are commonly engaged at an early age,
frequently before six or seven years old. This is done
by paying to the parents a stipulated sum, and occa-
sionally making presents both to them and the be-
trothed. When the engagement is concluded, a brace-
let is placed about the wrist to signify the new rela-
tion she sustains. She remains with the parents until
of proper age to be taken home to her husband. If
she comes with honor, two or three days after,
adorned with costly cloths and jewels, and with mu-
sic, she marches with a large company of maidens
through the city, to receive the congratulations and
presents of her friends, which are generally on such an
occasion very liberally bestowed. Otherwise, the pa-
rents are made to refund the whole amount advanced
in engaging her, and the guilty partner to her infidel-
ity, if known, is prosecuted for adultery. If the in-
tended husband is a youth, never before married, his
mother, or less frequently his father, makes the en-
gagement for him; and the parties are respectively
kept in ignorance of each other until they are both of
suitable age to live together.
A less troublesome way of procuiing.a wife, with

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 69

many, is to resort to the slave-marts of Horin . at once,
money in hand, and make their choice. The latter, of
course, are slaves, as well as their children, between
whom, however, and other slaves, there is some dis-
tinction. Wives procured according to. the first of
these methods, although not regarded as slaves, are
practically as much so as the others, for like them, at
the death of their lord they become nominally, and
often really, the wives of his eW«st son, except, of
course, his own mother. They have, however, the
privilege of choosing the next ejder son, or of observ-
ing ever after a state of celibiicy, which but few wo-
men would choose, as it is regarded reproachfully.

According to their means of procuring them, men
possess from a single wife to two or three hundred.
Except the chiefs there are few, however, who have
more than about twenty. The Yoruba king at Oyo,
Adelu, who is reputed the wealthiest man of the
Akus, maintains about three hundred wives.* They
are never suffered to leave the palace-yard, except on
certain days, when they march in procession through
the town in charge of eunuchs, of whom the king has

* Including the sunriving wives of his father, who as already
enti
sand.

mentioned, are all nominally his, he is said to have about one thou-

i

60 A PILGRIMAGBf

a large number. Men are not suffered to approach
thiem in these excursions. The King of Ilorin and
other great personages of his court also keep their
wives always confined. In this case, however, they
are supported. In Abbeokuta, where even the wives
of the king must support themselves, they are per-
mitted to go abroad, and are generally among the
most industrious tracers of the place.

Inquiry is sometimes made as to whether wives
agree among themselves. I answer, they do, as well
as a number of women living in the same house can
under other circumstances : at any rate, their disputes
do not arise from the fact that they are all the wives
of the same husband. There is always one, only one,
who is intrusted with the domestic affairs of her lord,
and to her all the others pay the greatest deference,
and they expect the recently married to receive more
favor than others : making this philosophic calculation,
they are saved much of what, under a different and
purer system of morals, would be highly irritating and
disgusting.

After polygamy it may be appropriate to make
a few remarks respecting its sister evil, slavery, which
exists all through this section of Africa. Although
the term "slavery" is the only word by which the
institution can be propirly designated, it is certainly

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 61

not of the same character as the American institu-
tion, there being but little disparity between the
condition of the master and that of his slave, since the
one possesses almost every advantage accessible to the
other. Slaves are often found filling the most exalted
positions : thus at Abbeokuta all the king's chief
officers are his slaves, and they are among his most
confidential advisers. On certain state occasions, one
or other of these slaves is often permitted to assume
in public the position of the king, and command and
receive in his own person the homage and respect due
to his master. So in Borin, Dungan, the prime minis-
ter of the king, daily sits in the market-place to re-
ceive the homage of the populace intended for the
king, and yet Dungari, really the most important per-
sonage of the kingdom, and in rank even above the
king's own sons, is a slave. Instances of this kind
might be afforded almost indefinitely.

Slaves are procured chiefly by conquest, sometimes
in warfare as justifiable and even more so than the
wars waged among civilized nations ; at Sther times
predatory, and undertaken solely for their capture.
Not a few incur slavery as a penalty for crime. Some
are sold to defray either their own debts, or it may be
the debts of others for which they have become lia-
ble ; and frequently children are kidnapped and sold
away into distant parts.

62 A PIL6BIMA.GB

Although but a few years since every heathen town
in this region abounded with slave-markets, there is
now, doubtless through the influence of Christian civil-
ization, nothing of the kind seen; and although it
would be unsafe to say that slaves are not sometimes
sold, yet if so, it is done secretly. The first and only
marts we met for "this description of property,"
were at Ilorin, a Mohammedan kingdom. There was
there, besides several small numbers exposed in differ,
ent places throughout the town, a large market, the
Gambari, almost exclusively devoted to their sale, and
in which there were certainly not less than from five
to six hundred. Christian America and Mohamme-
dan Ilorin do with complacency what the heathens
of Yoruba and Egba feel it a disgrace to practise.

At Ilorin we sojourned with Nasamo, the king's
sheriff^ in whose company only we were permitted
to walk about the city. On arriving at the Gambari
market in one of our excursions, he pointed to the
slaves and jocularly asked whether I wished to pur-
chase. I Embraced the opportunity to show him the
wrong of making slaves of our fellows, and the great
injury which it inflicted not only upon those who
sufler, but also on those who practise it. Nasamo fills
a high poidtion in the state, and is the master of a
large number of slaves ; nevertheless he is himself a

/

TO KY MOTHEBLAND. 63

slave, and doubtless thought of his youthful home and
dear parents from whom he was stolen. He admitted
all I said, and observed that he wished there was no
such thing; but while it existed it was better that
they be exposed in the markets than that they should
be sold privately, " for then bad men would seize the
defenseless and our children, and we would not know
where to find them."

The Mohammedans do not sell their co-religionists
into slavery : they sometimes hold them as slaves, but
only when they were bought as heathens and con-
verted after coming into their possession ; but these
are never after sold. Here is a vast difference from
that class of Christians, so called, who buy and sell the
members of their own church, the partakers of the
same communion with themselves. How much better
are such than the heathens, or even these benighted
Mussulmans ?

Although, as I have before shown, slavery in Africa
is not like slavery in America, or even as it is in Cuba,
yet it is still a fact which must not be disregarded,
that, more or less, it is slavery — such, it is true, as the
teachings and example of good men might quietly but
certainly in time overthrow, but which might also by
an obverse course assume most of the abhoiTent
phases of the American institution.. My own opposi-

64 A PILGBIMAGS

tion to slavery does not arise simply from tlie suffering
and ill-treatment whicli the bondman endures, for in
that case I would have to acquit perhaps the majority
of American masters. I oppose it because a human
being is by it reduced to the condition of a thing, a
mere chattel, to be bought or sold at the option of his
fellow-man, whose only right to do so is the accidental
circumstance of superior power — a power which the
good should use to protect rather than oppress the
weak. I oppose it because I feel the common instinct
that man has an inalienable right to ^^ life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness." Hence I do not regard a
slave-ownery even when he makes his slave as comfort-
able and happy as a slave can be — ^in all other respects,
it may be, as well off as himself— I do not, I say,
regard such a person as therefore less guilty : indeed,
if there is one class of them whom I detest more
heartily than another, it is that class whose course is
to render the slave, if possible,' contented with his
condition.

From this view, therefore, I place my opposition to
African slavery on the same ground as to American
slavery, and God helping me, shall labor as earnestly
for the overthrow of one as for the other.*

* The following distinctions or grades of servitude prevail : one
absolutely free through all generations is termed, ** Omo olu wabV*

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 65

Rev. Mr. Townsend has a small fund at his disposal
for assisting slaves to redeem themselves. He has
helped by this means several to obtain liberty. The
money is usually paid for them without any other con-
dition than a promise to repay it when able to do so.
I was told of one instance where a party so helped
had not been heard of for two or three years:
when he was almost forgotten, he one day ap-
peared and refunded gratefully the whole amount,
pleading bad health for not doing so before.

One of the most marked characteristics of the
Africans, not only in this section, but aU along the
Western coast, is the grace and symmetry of their
forms, so well yet so unostentatiously displayed by
their ordinary costume. Nor can there be any
wonder on this account, considering their freedom
from all those habits of civilized life so contrary
to nature, and which tend so much to the phy-
sical deformity that so often offends good taste.

The issue of the child of slave parents, marrying an ^* Omo olu
wabi,"" is deemed ^* eru idUi^^ or a slave connected with the family.
An absolute slave is called " tfrv." One in pawn, placed in that con-
dition by another, is termed " toa/a :'* one voluntarily placing him-
self in pawn is ^^ Faru so faV A favorite slave, " eru,** at the death
of his master is seldom if ever considered any longer an erit, but
becomes ** eru idUi,''' and generally marries in the family, in which
case his children, if by free mothers, become absolutely free.

66 A PILGRIMAGE

One never passes a group of boys at play with-
out witnessing somi3 of the most dexterous perform-
ances of tumbling, wrestling and other exercises
tending to the development of the muscular powers
of the system. In their dances too they exhibit
evolutions, throwing at once every muscle into ac-
tion, which would almost be regarded as impossi-
ble except witnessed.

In the towns further interior than Abbeokuta, in
which the use of fire-arms has not yet become general,
one frequently sees groups of boys contesting in feats
of archery, with great skill. In Oyo bets are only
permitted in these exercises. There are several fine
games of skill practised by the Akus. A favorite one
is the " wari." The apparatus consists of twelve cups
aiTanged in two rows, hewn out of a single block of
wood. Four bean-like seeds are placed in each cup,
and the game is begun by each party alternately tak-
ing the contents of one cup of the row next himself
and distributing them, one by one, beginning at the
cup next to that from which he took them. When
one party can throw the last three or four of his beans
into the cups of his antagonist, containing not more
than one or two beans each, he seizes the contents as
his prize, and thus they continue until the beans are
all taken, when each counts what he possesses, the

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 6l

victory being of course accorded to him who has
most. There is perhaps not a house in which one or
more of these apparatus is not kept, for the entertain-
ment of the inmates. They are found too, at all the
" beer-shops," if the reader will pei-mit the application
of that term to the places at which the native oti^ or
corn-beer, is sold. I never made a more acceptable pre-
sent to any one, than of four dozen pretty glass balls,
or glass marbles, if you please, to the Alake of Abbeo-
kuta, to use in his game of wari. Another game, in
which they are frequently seen engaging with much
interest, is the dili^ a kind of tee-ta-too, more compli-
cated, however, and certainly more interesting than .
that memorable game of our school days. A large
square, divided into thirty-six smaller squares, is traced
on the ground, on the opposite sides of which the con-
testants sit. Each is prepared with twelve " men "
differently colored. The parties put down one piece
alternately, nmtil all are disposed of, when the game is
continued by each moving his men from place to place,
until he can arrange three of his own on successive
squares on a line, which feat entitles him to one of his
adversary's men. The effort of each then is, first to
procure this arrangement of his own, and next to pre-
vent his adversary from doing likewise. Of course
the party capturing most men wins the game.

68 . A PIL6BIMAGE

I insert here a stray fact, lest it should be forgotten.
In Abbeokuta and throughout the Aku country, old
women are seen nursing in&nts, not their ovm^ as in
many instances they were far beyond the period of
life when such a thing is at all possible.

Wild bees are very common in Africa. One day a
large swarm alighted near our house. I essayed to
take them in a box, and after two or three unsuccess-
ful attempts, abandoned the undertaking, as it seemed
utterly impossible to induce them to take up with a
civilized abode. Next morning passing near the box,
which was thrown carelessly under a tree, I was sur-
. prised to find, that they had quite changed mind, and
were busily laboring in their new domicile. They con-
tinned several weeks, when ceasing to hear their busy
hum, I examined, and found that they had again de-
parted. They carried off, of course, all the honey,
but left plenty of wax, which I prepared and brought
with me as a sample of African beeswax. • The na-
tives thought me a charmed man, because, forsooth,
I was not stung to death in the undertaking.

This section of Africa is sometimes the theatre of
terrible thunder-storms. In one of these, my colleague,
Dr. Delany, accompanied by Reverend Mr. Reed, mis-
sionary at Oyo, was caught one night returning from
a visit to a friend, some distance from our dwelling.

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 69

The doctor rode a young horse, unaccustomed to the
road ; Mr. Reed's could find its way back on any road
it had travelled. The rain fell in torrents, and it was
dismally, totally, absolutely dark; being out myself
• that night, I could not see my own hands, and some-
times, waiting for the flashes of lightning to show the
path, my servant would stumble over me, unable to
discover any object, before him. Every One knows
the impossibility of keeping, blindfolded, in a given
direction, so we continually deviated from the narrow
path, and were in imminent danger of faljing into one
or other of the numerous excavations from which the
natives procure clay to construct their walls. A large
rock intercepted the path my friends took returning
home, over which Mr. Reed's horse, after some urging,
passed, but the Doctor's obstinately refused to follow,
and Mr. Reed's £ts obstinately refused to return. At
last they concluded to pass round a little to the right
of where they stood to rejoin each other, in trying to
effect which both lost their way. Mr. Reed got home
with but little trouble, but the Doctor spent half the
night wandering over the least inhabited portions of
the city, wet to the skin, the rain all the time pouring.
He had been but a few days at Abbeokuta, and of
course knew nothing of the language. Coming to a
native compound, he essayed to attract attention by the

10 A PILGBIMAGE

use of the two or three words, the pronunciation (not
the meaning) of which he knew indifferently. With a
loud voice, (the Doctor is a second Stentor,) he cried
acushel (a term of salutation to the industrious.) The

•

natives were astonished, and instantly extinguishing
their lights, they fled to the recesses of their dw'elling,
and, although the Doctor exhausted his whole voca-
bulary in the effort, he could not induce them to stir.
After one or two more fruitless attempts at other
houses, he at last brought to his aid a few resolute men,
who perceiving that he had lost his way, conducted
him safe to the dwelling of Mr. Samuel Crowther, Jr.,
whither I arrived at the same time after a long search
to find him.

A funeral in this section of Africa is not unwprthy
of notice. A brother of the chief Atambala having
died during my sojourn at Abbeokuta, I went over to
his house to condole with him on his loss. I found
the old chief in no condition to receive the sort of con-
dolence I was prepared to offer, as both himself and
almost every other person present was intoxicated.
His compound* was crowded, a large number of his
friends being there to participate in the ceremonies.

* Walled inclosures in Africa, comprising several dwellings, are
called by the civilized people ** compounds.^'

TO MY MOTHBBLAND. . * 71

Drums were beating, the women singing, and as many
as had sufficient command of their legs were dancing.
They permitted me to see the corpse, and to my aston-
ishment I found it wrapped with cloths, in exactly the
same manner as are Egyptian mummies. The cloth is
usually the best the friends of the deceased can pur-
chase. On this occasion they used one which I had
presented the chief a few days before. It was laid
in an open piazza, the walls around which were draped
with velvet and other costly cloths. All this time there
was moving through the city a procession, made up of
drummers, men bearing a board covered with cloths
to represent the corpse, women singing alternately
songs of lamentation and of praises to the dead, with
other men firing guns, and all dancing and otherwise
enacting the most extravagant gestures.

The deceased is always buried in the house in which
he lived. Sometimes a stone is placed oh the spot, on
which offerings to his manes are occasionally deposited.
In some cases, where the party was greatly respected, '
on account of his position on earth, he becomes after
death the subject of religious adoration.

The Africans are not behind either the English or
Americans in their love of pageantry. The writer does
not remember a day spent at Abbeokuta without
having witnessed something of this sort. The most

72 A PILGBIHA6E

•

frequent were processions of societies for matual saving.
They are formed chiefly of women. Once a week each
member deposits a certain amount, the aggregate of
which is drawn by one member, who of course con-
tinues her deposits, and does not draw again, until all
in turn have done likewise. There is no disadvantage
in drawing last, as those who do so, receive a consider-
ation for the use of their weekly deposits by the other
members.

Before 1839 little if any thing was known of Abbeo-
kuta. The Yorubas and Egbas recaptured and taken
to Sierra Leone were sold away before any such place
existed, and no travellers had before been in the neigh-
borhood, but at this time, vague rumors began to spread
along the coast that the different tribes of the Egbas
had united themselves, and had built a new city, power-
ful from its natural defenses not less than for the brave
hearts and strong arms of its people. These were
joyful tidings indeed to the Egbas at Sierra Leone, in
the bosom of most of whom was immediately kindled
the strongest desire, again to be united to their long-
lost relatives and friends. Conquering a thousand
difficulties, they eventually carried out the object of
their desire, and in the short time between 1839 and
1842 we are told by Miss Tucker* in her admirable

* " Abbeokuta^ or Sunrise within the Tropics." Although Miss

TO HY MOTHEBLAXD. 73

little book that no less than 500 of them left Sierra
Leone for their country.

Simultaneously with these occurrences, the people of
the Brazils and of Cuba, Egbas, Yorubas, and other
Aku tribes who had obtained freedom, began to return.
From all sources there are now scattered throughout
the country, but chiefly at Lagos and Abbeokuta, over
five thousand of these people, semi-civilized generally,
but in some instances highly cultivated, being engaged
as teachers, catechists, clergymen, and merchants. In-
dustrious, enterprising, and carrying with them, one
here and another there, a knowledge of some of the use-
ful arts, they have doubtless been the means of inau-
gurating a mighty work, which, now that it has ac-
complished its utmost, must be continued in a higher
form by the more civilized of the same race, who for a
thousand reasons, are best adapted to its successful
prosecution.

The hand of God is in the work, and although many
discouragements and impediments might intercept the
path of you who would labor for such an end, there
is nothing to fear. Persevere, persevere, and the
Power, which has already been a safeguard through so
many dangers wOl aid your efforts to the end.

Tucker has never been to Africa herself, yet her statements are per-
fectly reliable, as they come from the best sources.

4

?4 A PILGBIMA6E

CHAPTER VII.

BELIGION.

Shango exorcised — ^Existence of Spirits — ^Ifa — Agoga— Ore— Aspect
of a City on Oro-day — Gymnastic Sports — ^Pugilistic Encounters
— Missions.

These are many Mossnlmans among the Akus, but
chiefly the people are heathens. They acknowledge
one supreme being, of whose attributes they have as
clear a conception as civilized people generally, but
they do not worship him directly, but through subor-
dinate. deities representing those attributes. Thus in
Shango, the god of thunder, lightning and fire, and
the most revered of their deities, the Omnipotence of
God is worshipped. Oro represents the retributive
power, and Ifa the Omniscience of God. They pro-
fess to be sometimes possessed by these deities.
The Reverend Mr, Stone, of the American South-
ern Baptist Mission at Ijaye, once exorcised Shan-
go in a very summary manner from a mischievous
boy living in the neighborhood of his dwelling,
who, in retaliation for some affront of his parents, had

TO MY MOTHESLAND. 75

procured a fagot with which he attempted to fire
their dwelling. Had he succeeded, a great conflagra-
tion might have ensued, from the combustible nature
of the materials of the houses. The inmates of the
jeopardized dwelling made no other attempt to arrest
him in his projects, than pitifully imploring the deity
to leave him. Mr. Stone, however, hearing of the
affau*, procured a rod, and seizing the young scamp
soon dispossessed Shango, and so well too, that the
god. is never likely to possess him again.

They beUeve In the spirit after death, and in its
power of being present among the living for good
or evil purposes, hence they frequently jesort to the
graves of the deceased with offerings, consulting them
in affairs of importance, and imploring their protection
from the dangers of life.

Ifa^ one of their inferior deities, is much resorted
to as an oracle. He has a numerous corps of priests,
who realize great profit from the offerings made the
god, to induce favorable responses. He is consulted
by means of a sort of checkerboard, covered with
wood-dust, on which the priest traces small squares.
The party consulting the god hands him sixteen conse-
crated palm-nuts, which all the votaries of Ifa carry
constantly. He throws them into a small urn, from
which taking a few, the number being left to accident.

76 A FILGBIMAGB

he disposes them at random on the board, and from
the order they assume, determines first whether the
offering shall be a goat, a sheep, or otherwise ; next he
ascertains whether the god is satisfied with the offer-
ing ; if not, he manipulates further to ascertain whether
a pair of pigeons or fowls should not be added. The
preliminaries being thus arranged, he enters into his
business, all the time holding a fi'ee and easy conver-
sation with the applicant, through which he is sure to
ascertain the kind of responses most welcome.

The Agugu^ a fantastically attired individual, is fre-
quently seen at Abbeokuta and other places interior.
Ho represents the spirits of the departed, who are
frequently consulted through him, No one is permitted
to say he is a man, nor to touch him, under penalty of
death. If he touches any one, the party touched must
die — ^a dangerous power, it seems, to place in the hands
of ignorant men^ nevertheless, one never hears of its
abuse. He is so dressed as to leave no part of his body
exposed, and speaks in a guttural voice, assumed as a
disguise.

Next to Shango, Oro^ as wielding the executive func-
tions of the government, is certainly the most terrible
of their subordinate deities. Whenever a malefactor
is to be punished, he is given to Oro, and after that no
one knows his fate until his head is seen nailed to a

TO MY MOTHISBLAND. 77

tree in an open place before the king's palace. Every
night, after the women are within doors, what is called
the voices of Oro is heard around the city. It is on
this account- that the women of Abbeokuta are not
permitted to be abroad after dark. The penalty is death
to any woman for saying that she knows how the voice is
produced, although it is certain that all know. Any man
would also be slain for revealing it. ' This voice is a
peculiar whirling noise, produced by a simple mechan-
ism which the reader must conceive for himself, as a
description might involve the writer in trouble on his
return to Africa. The town is sometimes given to
Oro, generally when any importanji matter is to be
considered. This occurred twice during my sojourn
there. The day preceding, announcement is made by
the town-crier, who goes around ringing, or rather
striking a substitute for a bell. On the first occasion
I went out early in the morning, determined not to
lose, if possible, any part of the ceremonies of the
day. The city, usually from the earliest dawn as busy
as a hive, was apparently deserted. It was like a
body from which animation had fled ; and this, all this
because woman was not there, her voice was unheard,
and her cheerful smile beaming from her countenance
on the stranger, even as she toils beneath her heavy
yoke, was not seen. A few men and boys were

78 A PILGBIMAGE

occasionally met, all looking as if discovered in the
perpetration of some guilty action, because, forsooth,
they were compelled to perform some office regarded,
according to their customs, as proper only for women.
All the gates of the compounds were carefully closed
and watched, I sought and procured admission to
two or three of them, and found the women engaged
as usual in their varied occupations, except of course,
in those which the circumstance compelled men to per-
form, I continued my perambulations without meet-
ing any thing remarkable until about ten o'clock a.m.,
when a large number of persons gathered on the open
ground in front of the king's palace, singing very
prettily and keeping time by striking together two
small pieces of very hard wood, which each carried.
In a few minutes the king's messenger or lieutenant,
with his suite, came out, representing the king. He
thanked the company for their praises to the king
which formed the burthen of their songs, and having
for a few minutes joined with them in a dance, he pre-
sented them some cowries and retired. Later in the
day I repaired to another part of the city, where I
learned several of the elders and chiefs were to meet.
Much of the ground was already occupied by young
men and boys in active competition for the applause
of the crowd which was always liberally accorded to

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 79

those who performed satisfactorily with their Oro ap*
paratus. Here and there also were other groups,
engaged in tumbling, and other active gymnastic
sports, which they accomplished excellently. A proces-
sion was formed by the elders of the Ogboni lodges
and the king's people, and with drums, etc., beginning
with the king they went from chief to chief. Of
course they remained without the gate. The chief
comes out and all together enjoy a vigorous dance.
They then sit down, all but one, who praises the chief
to his fiice. A few strings of cowries are then distri-
buted and the procession moves on. Returning home-
wards late in the afternoon I met some terrible fights.
In one instance particularly, a y oupg fellow was most
unmercifully whipped. His offense seems to have
been of the sort in which one of the other sex was
participant. Punishment for these offenses is often re-
served for such days when, as on election-days with us,
there is greater freedom to engage in pugilistic encoun-
ters with impunity.

The next Oro day was only a week before my final
departure from Abbeokuta. It was on the occasion of
holding a council to consider the duty of the Egbas in
relation to a war between the people of Ijaye, their
friends and allies, on the one side, and Oyo, and Ibadan
on the other. Early in the morning the chiefs and

BO A PILGBIMAGB

great men of the town, in great state and with many
followers, began to assemble in front of the king's
palace, at which the king, surrounded by the male mem-
bers of his household, was seated. There was present
the largest concourse, of persons I ever witnessed.
The young men and boys were engaged as on the other
occasion. When all who were to participate in the
council had arrived, the king and chiefs repaired to an
Ogboni Lodge near, where their business was trans-
acted in secret. This concluded, they returned to th^
square, to inform the people on what they had deter-
mined, and to procure their concurrence, which at Ab-
beokuta is very essential, particularly as the rulers have
no i>ower to execute their designs without the popu-
lar arm.

There are five missionary stations, with a school at-
tached to each, at Abbeokuta, and about the same num-
ber at Lagos. The congregations of these churches
consist principally of people from SieiTa Leone.
There are many native pupils who also attend the serv-
ices at the churches, but the number of adult converts
is small, except as above remarked, from among the
people from Sierra Leone.

All the people from Sierra Leone, as well as many
of the natives speak English, and some also read and
write correctly. I have seen at Abbeokuta several

TO HT MOTHBBLAND. , 81

boys, who have never been out of that town, having a
pretty correct knowledge of most of the branches of
a common English education, English grammar, arith-
metic, geography, etc., besides a good acquaintance with
Scripture history. They make apt scholars.

4*

82 • A PILGBIHAGE

CHAPTER VIII.

JOUBNBY TO YOBUBA.

Our Oaravan — Atadi — ^Extortion of Oarriers— Ilugun — ^Peter Elba —
Open Air Accommodation — ^Articles left by the roadside for sale —
Ijaye — ^Kumi — ^Tel^raphic drums — ^Interview with Chief — " Pala-
yer with the water" — Great Market — ^The Drivers — Carriers — ^Value
of a Shirt — ^Departure for Oyo — ^Fever again — ^Visit to King Adelu
— ^Exchange of Presents — ^Tax collecting — Snake-Charmer — Ade-
nqji — Small Pox — Ogbomishaw — Dr. Delany, Fever still again —
Scarcity of Water.

Having completed our business at Abbeokuta, we be-
gan to prepare for a journey through the entire extent
of the Aka country, terminating at Dorin, but were
unable to carry out our intention for several weeks,
owing to the ilhiess of myself first, and my colleague
next. At last we both found ourselves well, and after
two or three days spent in purchasing horses, employ-
ing servants, carriers, and effecting other provisions,
we finally left Abbeokuta at mid-day on the 16th
January, 1860, for Ijaye. Our little caravan consisted
of twelve persons, namely, of ourselves, two boys, one
to the care of each horse, an interpreter, a cook, six
carriers, besides several natives met on the road, who

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 83

kept with us, as they were journeying in the same
direction. The same evening we sojourned at Atadi, a
small Egba town, where we were kindly accommodated
by the " visitor" of the Church Missionary Society, a
worthy, pious man, whose example and teachings are
effecting much for those among whom he labors. He
possesses a neat little house, which is very comfortable
though built of mud and in the native style.

By daylight the next morning we expected to re-
sume our journey, but were unable to obtain a relay
pf carriers for several hours ; not that there were not
several to be had, but finding that we were compelled
to employ them, or be greatly incommoded, they seized
the opportunity to exact more than three times the
sum usually paid* Besides, they soon discovered that
our interpreter, into whose hands all these thmgs were
committed, was a native of the coast, and therefore
unacquainted with the manner of proceeding. There
was no alternative but to submit to their extortion.
No where are people quicker to perceive an ad-
vantage, and more ready to use it. We left Atadi
about ten a.m. The road was exceedingly busy, as
there were thousands of persons bearing palm-oil and
other commodities to the coast for sale.

The next town at which we encagiped for the night
was Ilugun, When we were within five or six miles

.S4 A PILGSIMA6E

of it, one of our boys, Peter Elba, an intelligent sharp
boy, who speaks English and reads and writes well,
began to break down, his feet becoming sore and swol-
len, as he had never walked so much before. Tired of
riding, I dismounted and placed the poor fellow on
the horse the rest of the way. This was intended as
much for my own accommodation as for his relief;
nevertheless I never heard the last of it, as the poor
fellow, deeply grateful for the act, told it to every body
he met, either the interpreter or cook being generally
near, to confirm or exaggerate his statements.

The headman of the little town having treated some
missionaries unkindly, whether designedly or not I am
unable to say, we were advised not to sojourn with
him, but to pass through the town and put up at the
house of an old man, living a short distance beyond
the wall. We did so, as it is sometimes wise to take
the advice of the missionaries. As soon as the headman
learned that strangers had arrived, he sent a messenger
desiring us to come to see him, which I did, accom-
panied by our interpreter, and was very kindly received.
He could not present us a lamb or kid, because, said
he, the young persons are not at home to catch them.
This was equivalent to asking for a present, which I
granted in the form of a tin box of matches, and a small
looking-glass. He complained that both ourselves and

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 85

Other civilized persons passing through his town, had
treated him ill, by not stopping at his house. I frankly
explained the reason, namely, his unkind treatment of
missionaries who had sojourned with him before. He
protested that he had never designed any ill himself,
and would not suffer his people to inflict any if he
knew it. After all, I believe the whole* matter was the
result of misunderstanding, as he did not seem like
one who would willingly harm any body, much less
civilized people. Although the party Mdth whom we
sojourned had a large house, he really had no accom-
modation within it for travellers, ^ so that we were
compelled, as we have repeatedly done before and
after, to sleep on a mat in the open air, where, how-
ever, being tired, we enjoyed a good repose, without
any serious consequences. So much for the "pestilen-
tial night air of that baneful clime."

The next morning when we were ready to leave,
poor Peter could not walk ; so leaving some cowries for
his expenses, we were obliged to leave him to come
on with the mail-man, who was expected to pass in a
few days. He reached Ijaye before we departed for
the next town, Oyo, but was unable to accompany us
further. We never saw him again, as on our return
from the interior we were unable to enter the city
which was surrounded by hostile forces. His abode

86 A PILGBIMAGB

with the missionaries is, however, a guarantee of his
personal safety.

On the road to Ilugun we met in several places fruits
and other articles exposed for sale, without any person
near to watch them. There were several little heaps
of cowries left by those who had purchased. A few
cowries were also deposited near each article to indi-
cate its price. It is incorrect to suppose, however,
that these articles were entirely unprotected. Sus-
pended from a rod there is a small bundle of dried
grass — Shango's torch — ^hanging always over the ar-
ticles for sale, which is an appeal to the god that he
should set fire to the house of any one wicked enough
to steal them. This is even a greater protection than
the presence of a person could be, for there are those
expert enough to elude human vigilance, who would
never expect to do likewise to Shango.

Crossing what was then, in the dry season, a gentle
brook, but which at other times is a river of consider-
able magnitude, we entered the gate of the city of
Ijaye, and were, conducted to the station of the
American Baptists by a boy whom we met at the gate,
dressed in a shirt of civilized manu&cture, a sure in-
dication that he was belonging to the '' mission family."
The occupants of the station, Messrs. Phillips and
Stone, and the wife of the latter, were out at the time.

TO MY KOTHBBLAND. 87

but soon arrived, and invited us into the boose. In a
few minutes we were provided witb as fine a supper as
we ever enjoyed in Africa.

Ijaye is one of the largest of the Yoruba towns,
containing not less than eighty thousand inhabitants.
It is ruled by Kumi, entitled Arey, a man, intelligent,
active, haughty, cruel, ambitious, stubborn and des-
potic, yet an excellent ruler, if we judge from the de-
corum of his people and the respect which they show
him. By the people of the surrounding towns he is
much hated, and will not be permitted to maintain his
position longer than they can help. The town is a part
of the Yorubi^ kingdom, but Kumi has for several
years disputed the legitimacy and defied the authority
of the king at Oyo, and has actually set up himself as
his rival.

Accompanied by the missionaries mentioned before,
we made his excellency a visit, a day or two after our
arrival. He was not at home when we reached his
palace, but his officials received us kindly, and promised
to call him immediately, which one of them did by
making a loud peculiar noise with a drum, which, with
its drummer, is kept for this and similar purposes.
These drummers can, we learned, communicate, nay,
converse with each other at any distance within the
sound of the instrument. After we were seated a few

88 A PILGBIMAGB

minutes the chief entered, attended by a large retinue,
at the head of whom he walked with much grace and
dignity. He seated himself in a piazza, the old men
and officers of his court betook themselves to the lefl,
the right side was reserved for us and our party, and
the general crowd seated themselves promiscuously in
front of us in the yard. Our interview was very cor-
dial. We mentioned the object of our visit to the
country, and obtained his consent, joyfully accorded,
that our people should come to live in peace in his
town, and he promised that they should have all the
land they required. About to depart, I presented my
hand to shake, which, forgetting himself, he was about
to do, when the surprise of the missionaries and some
other individuals of the crowd arrested him, and he
drew back his hand. From superstitious motives, he
never shakes hands with "Oyibos," but would have
shaken ours, had it not been for the sensation exhibited
at the time.

Several of the people of Ijaye lost their lives in the
river, while fishing, which induced the Arey to make a
law that no one should ever fish in that river again.
He said that the river was angry because its children
were killed, and therefore revenged itself by killing his
children, as he calls his people. Liking the sport, but
unwilling to break the law, the Rev. Mr. Phillips sent

TO HT MOTHXBLAXD. 89

to request his permission to fish in the brook. He re-
plied, that as long as neither he nor his people make
any palaver with the water, the water could make no
palaver with them, white man could do as he liked, but
when the palaver came, he must keep it to himself.

The most noticeable feature of Ijaye is its market,
covering an area of over twenty acres, and attended
three times per week by from fifteen to twenty thou-
sand persons. In it are found, besides native produce,
commodities from almost every section of the globe :
swords, sandals, silk-yam, otto of rose, paper, beads,
etc., from IBgypt and other Mediterranean States of
Africa; and cloths, cutlery, tin and earthen wares,
guns, gunpowder, rum and tobacco, from England, the
United States, France, Germany and the Brazils.
Among the principal articles of native produce were
sheep, goats, fowls, butter, Indian-corn or maize, rice,
yams, {Dioscorea BtUbi/era^) casava, {JicUrcpha Jan-
ipha^ sweet potatoes, {Convolmdus Batatas^ Guinea-
corn, {Sorghum vulgare^) beans, several varieties ; cot-
ton, raw and manufactured ; clothing ; mechanical and
agricultural implements of iron, (native smelting ;)
brass, pewter and glass rings, and other trinkets, etc.
As large and populous as is the market, it is conducted
with the greatest order. There is a particular place
appropriated for the sale of each class of goods : thus

90 A PILGBIMAGE

in one place may be seen spinners offeiing their yarn
to those who weave ; in another, weavers offering
their cloths ; then those who sell iron- ware, sitting in
their own quarters, and next to them the dealers in
beads and other ornaments : here is the meat-market,
and there the wood-market, and the clothing, market,
and the place for the sale of live-stock, etc. etc. One
man manages the entire affair with the greatest ease.
The same characteristics exist in all the other markets
we visited from Lagos to Ilorin, but no where else
were they so extensive.

We continued at Ijaye for a fortnight, spending the
time in visiting the objects of interest in the neigh-
borhood, taking photographic views, and otherwise
making ourselves as comfortable as possible. On ac-
count of threatened hostilities between Ijaye and Oyo,
the next town, we were unable to procure carriers
when ready to resume our journey, and our inter-
preter, participating in the fears of the natives, would
do little to help us in procuring them. We were
finally obliged to go to seek them ourselves, in which
we succeeded by lending each carrier a shirt, for so
great is the respect entertained for the civilized, that
even the assumption of the garb affords protection and
the liberty of passing unmolested through a hostile
country.

TO HT HOTITEKLAin). 91

We were favored while at Ijaye with some fine
opportunities for observing the peculiarities of the
notorious drivers. These creatures are neither more
nor less than ants, resembling nearly the Mack ants
of this country, and identical with those of the
West-Indies, where, bowever, they are less numer-
ous. They are usually seen in countless myriads,
marching in line with great order and apparent
discipline. They never attack dwellings, except ver-
min or the like are suffered, to accumulate ; then
they come, and usually again retire in a few hours,
entirely ridding the place of the objects of their
attack. Of course before these visitors the occu-
pants of a room must retire: the only inconveni-
ence is, that one is sometimes obliged to do this
at midnight. The bite of a single ant is not very
painful, but of course the same can not be said
of twenty or thirty simultaneous nips on different
parts of the person. The inducement to dance is
then irresistible. They never leave their line of
march to attack an object not molesting them. I
have myself stooped over a large train for an hour,
watching their progress. The instant you touch
them, however, fifty or sixty of the largest and
most formidable dart off towards you, when a re-
treat is prudent. Immediately they return to the

92 A PILGBIMAGE

line again. It is cnrions to observe their tactics
in attacking larger animals, a rat for instance. A
single ant attaches itself to it : the poor creature
naturally stops to rid itself of the paltry aggres-
sor, but this delay enables others to join in the
attack: for a few minutes a desperate combat is
waged, and many an ant, persistently retaining its
grasp on the flanks of the victim, is parted asun-
der by the effort to detach it. Overcome chiefly
by fatigue from its own vigorous exertions, the rat
at length passively resigns itself to the voracity of

•

its assailajits, making now and then only a con-
vulsive effort indicative of the extreme torture to
which it is subjected. An effectual way of ridding
an apartment of them is to All the mouth with salt,
and when it is moistened with saliva, to blow it over
them. They then hasten away with great precipi-
tation. It is not the salt, but the saliva, I think,
which is offensive to them, for once at Ijaye, un-
able to procure salt, I took water into my mouth, and
after it was well mixed with the secretion I blew it
out at them with the same effect as if salt was used.
It is obvious that while these curious creatures are
occasionally the cause of some inconvenience, they are
also the instrument of much good, in destroying ver-
min, which in such a climate might otherwise become

Zl

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 93

intolerable. I never saw or heard of a bed-bug in
Africa, their absence being doubtless due to the ag-
gressions of the drivers.

On the 4th February we left Ijaye for Oyo, from
five to seven hours' journey, in a north-eastern direc-
tion. For the two or three days preceding I was
troubled with an attack of bilious fever, from which I
fancied myself free, but in less than two hours after
leaving, it returned with great violence ; nevertheless
I continued the journey, but was exceedingly ill when
I reached Oyo, so as to have given our kind friend the
Rev. Mr. Reed, of the American Baptist Mission,
whose house was our home, a great deal of trouble.
The next day I was better, and by a timely adminis-
tration of remedies continued well all the rest of our
sojourn in Afiica. Here we met Mr. Meeking, of the
Church Mission Society, a very worthy young man,
whom we must here heartily thank for his many kind
oifices. Accompanied by these gentlemen and inter-
preters, we made a visit to Adelu, the kin^ of the Yo-
ruba nation, who welcomed us very cordially to his
town. There is not another chief or king in the
whole Aku country who is surrounded by more of the
circumstances befitting his rank, than this man. His
compound, or if you please, his palace, is the largest in
the country, accommodating over fifteen hundred per-

94 A FIL6BIMAGE

sons — wives, children, slaves, etc. The number of his
wives is said to be fully one thousand. Many of
these, however, are only nominally so, for according to
a custom among them, the wives of a fether at his
death become the wives of his son, and frequently we
find very old women calling themselves, on account of
the position in society it gives them, the wives of one
or other of the kings or chiefs, who in reality were
only the wives of the grandfathers of such.

It was necessar^r to send a messenger the day be-
fore, to announce to Fufu, the king's lieutenant, our
intended visit to his majesty, as, because we were
strangers he would only receive us in state, and re-
quired due notice to effect the necessary preparations.
He was seated under an dcdbiy one of the turret-like
arrangements already mentioned, surrounded by his
wives, his head reclining on one, his feet resting on
another ; one fanned him, another wiped the perspira-
tion from his face ; one held an umbrella of many
colors over his head, and another a small vessel care-
fully covered up, in which his majesty occasionally de-
posited his salivary secretions,* which accumulated fiist
in consequence of the quantity of snuff he takes in the

* They have a superstition that their enemies can hurt them by
procuring their spittle and subjecting it to certain manipulationa

TO MY MOTH£BLAND. 95

mouth, in common with all the native adults, and often
even the children of this region. His dress consisted
of a costly tobe and shocoto of the same pattern, both
nicely embroidered, a cap of red silk- velvet, and Mo-
hammedan sandals. On his wrists he wore massive sil-
ver rings, and a strand of large corals about his neck.

In front of the acabi, on both sides of a pas-
sage left by which to approach his majesty, were
several of his slaves, the principal officers of his house-
hold, several men with long trumpets, on which they
blew loud blasts, applauding, those points of the con-
versation deemed i^ise or witty, and several eunuchs.

As usual, we explained the object of our visit to
Africa, with which he was as much pleased as any of
the other native authorities with whom we had before
treated. We made him a small present, and received
according to custom a return present of a fine sheep
and three heads of cowries. Our interview was an
exceedingly pleasant one, and every day we continued
at Oyo after that, a messenger was sent to inquire
after the health of the king's relatives, as he ever after
called us.*

A tax was being collected for the expense of the
war which the kitfg was preparing against Ijaye, the

* See page .

06 A PILGEIHAGE

manner of collecting which we hsld an opportunity of
observing. It was very simple. At each of the
gates, which are only wide enough to suffer a horse
to pass easily, there stood two men, one on each side,
elevated on blocks of wood, who as the people passed
through returning from their farms, abstracted &om
the baskets a few yams, ears of corn, or of whatever
else their loads consisted.

One day in going through the market we saw a man
sitting by the way-side, to whom many people as they
passed gave a few cowries. As we approached nearer
we found that he was one of the celebrated snake-
charmers, and had at the time one of these reptiles
about his neck and body as large as a man's arm : of the
length we could not well judge, as much of it was
coiled under his garment.

My other boy, Adeneji, here took the small-pox,
and of course could not accompany us further. We
left Oyo on the 8th February, and two days after ar-
rived at Ogbomishaw, at which we sojourned only one
day. We visited the chief, informed him of the object
of our visit, exchanged presents, took an excursion
over the town, and left early the next morning. Ex-
cept a fine park, we found no objeot of interest pecu-
liar to this town. Although a large place, of fully
fifty thousand inhabitants, there were no missionaries.

TO MT HOTHSBLAHD. 97

The American Baptists have a fine station there, but
no missionary has occupied it for. more than a year.
There is no impediment whatever, and it seems a pity
that it should be left thus uncared for.

Early in the morning of the 10th February, we left
Ogbomishaw for Horin, the terminus of our journey.
On account of the difficulty of procuring carriers, we
were compelled to wait at the gate until nearly four in
the afternoon. In the mean time Dr. Delany began to
experience symptoms of returning fever ; nevertheless,
as it was necessary to hasten our journey, he persisted
in going. We had not left two hours when the symp-
toms became so aggravated that he was obUged to dis-
mount and lie by the road-side. Leaving our cook
with him, I rode on as fast as possible, to find a place
at which we could sojourn for the night, and fortu-
nately found a small &rm village about four miles fur-
ther on. I then rode back, and met him about two
miles from where he was left.

It was, fortunately for us, the dry season, when it is
really more comfortable to sleep in the open air, which
notwithstanding the Doctor's health we were obliged
to do, as there were no accommodations for us under
shelter. We left early the next morning to reach
Ilorin, one long day's journey from this village. It
was perhaps the most uncomfortable day's journey we

08 A PILGmMAGE

ever had, as we could not procure a draught of cleaa
water, the brooks and springs being aknost all dry, ex-
cept here and there a little pool so stagnant, dirty and
nauseous that only severe thirst induced us to touch it.
This was, however, a trouble that could easily have
been provided against, by each party taking a small
bottle of this necessary liquid for his own use.

Within three or four miles of Ilorin we rested at a
farm-village to change carriers, etc., and take each of
us, horses and all, a long draught of water, under such
circumstances an invaluable luxury.

TO MT MOTHESLAKD. 99

CHAPTER IX.

ILOBIN.

Magnificent Conflagration — Grassy Plains and Forests — ^Freedom of
the Country from Beasts and Reptiles; why — ^Extravagant Wel-
come — ^Nasamo the Executioner, and his Dwelling — ^Wifeless —
Royal Present of Food — ^Prisoners — ^Intervieiif with the King —
Schools — ^Arabians — ^Mulatto— Musical Instruments — ^Baiyo—Beg-
gars — ^Looms — Gambari Market — ^Escort.

Thsbe was just light enough to enable us to see the
dim outline of the waUs as we approached Ilorin, and
by the time we were within the gates it was dark, but
the atmosphere was illumined by a brilliant light from
the burning of grass in the plain to the right of the
city — a magnificent spectacle. Except between Abbe-
okuta and Ijaye, where there is a dense forest through
which it requires fully five hours to pass, forming the
division between the territory of the Egbas and Yoru-
bas, the country is clear, with only low scrubby trees
much scattered, with an undergrowth of rank tall
grass. In some places, from what cause it is difficult
to say, there can be found no other kinds of vegetation

100 A PIL6BIMAGE

than this grass, particularly in the neighborhood of
large cities. Every year, after the harmattan winds,
the natives set fire to it, causing an immense confla-
gration, sweeping over the country like a tornado.

From the mission-house at Ijaye, southward over an
elevated country without the gate, we have seen a line
of fire fully a mile long, driven by the wind so ftiri-
ously as to entirely clear a space of ten or fifteen
square miles in less than two hours, and still progress-
ing out of sight, nmking a terrible noise. As it bums,
thousands of birds and other small animals are driven
out, and are immediately seized by hawks, which dur-
ing the dry season are very abundant. It is from
these fires, doubtless, that there is so little forest land
and so few wUd beasts, serpents, etc., in this country.
During the whole time we were in Africa we saw
only three living serpents, one about the neck of the
man near the market at Oyo, one at Abbeokuta, and a
small, but they say a very venomous one, on the road
towards Isehin, where I also saw a few fine deer,
which are always expert enough to get out of the way
of these fires. We also saw a fawn bounding at full
speed over the plain near Ilonn. The fire which so
beautiftilly illumined the darkness as we entered the
city was of the kind above referred to.

We met at the gate quite a concourse of persons,

TO KT MOTHBBLAND. 101

chiefly women, who gave ns aa extravagant welcome,
and brought food and water. We partook of the lat-
ter only, and hastened to the house of Nasamo, the
sheriff or public executioner, to which we were
directed by the advice of the Rev. Mr. Rdd, who
had not long before visited Borin. His dwelling, at
no time adapted to the purposes of hospitality, was
still worse now that a recent fire ii\ his neighborhood
had compelled him, as well as all his neighbors, to re-
move the thatch from his roo£ The entire building
and grounds were comprised in an area of not over
thirty feet square, and this space accommodated, with
ourselves, more than eighteen persons, besides our
horses. Nasamo, though evidently not less than sev-
enty or eighty years old, is yet vigorous both in mind
and physical constitution. He was the first important
personage we met without a single wife : he had one
who made him the fitther of three or four daughters,
but since her death he has lived a widower. One of
his daughters attends to his domestic affidrs.

Early the foUowing day we sent our interpreter to
salute the king, and inform him of our visit to his
capital, asking to be permitted as soon as possible to
pay our respects to him in person. The interpreter
was conducted to Dungari, the king's prime-minister,
who received, and conveyed the message to his master.

102 A PILGBIMAGB

Shortly after we received a return salutation from his
majesty, together with a large vessel of well-prepared
native food, sufficient to feed both ourselves, and at-
tendants for the day, also a similar present from Dun-
garL These presents were continued for the whole
time we remained in the town, but after three or four
days our servants and the other inmates of the com-
pound retained, and consumed it among themselves,
without even informing us of its arrival, a Uberty we
cheerfully granted for several reasons.

Every day we were requested to prepare to visit the
king, but were continually put off with some slight
excuse till the fourth day, when we were led into his
presence. This unnecessary delay occasioned us con-
siderable inconvenience, for we were in the mean time
virtually prisoners, not being permitted to go out of
our imcomfortable quai*ters until we had first seen his
majesty, and obtained his gracious consent to see the
town ; and even after this consent was obtained, we
were only permitted to go out accompanied by Nasa-
mo. The excuse for this was, that he would protect us
from harm by the people, a poor excuse, as we had not
the least cause of fear, every one being remarkably
civil and respectful towards us.

Our interview with his majesty. King Shita, was
very interesting. Quite unexpectedly he permitted us

TO MT MOTHEBLAND. 103

at this first interview to see his &ce, a privilege he
never accorded publicly to any who had before visited
the place, at the same time informing us, that it was
because he regarded us as his own people, descendants
of native Africans. Besides the direct subject of our
mission, we conversed on the forms of civilized govern-
ment, his majesty asking many questions respecting
Queen Victoria, and the ruler of the country from
which we came, of whom the American missionaries
had before informed him. As a " ruse," he invited us
to accompany him to his mosque, to which he said he
was just going. We accepted his invitation, but when
we prepared to go, he laughed and again seated him-
self, saying that he was glad we seemed to have no
prejudices against his religion ; he was seated on a mat
in a long piazza, usually entirely screened, but on this
occasion the screens were drawn up just where he sat,
SO as to expose him to view, but still keeping out of
sight many of his wives. He is an old man, and like
the king of Abbeokuta has had the misfortune to lose
an eye. He is not a pure Negro, but like many of the
Fulanees in his town, one of his parents, most likely
his father, must have been an Arabian ; his physiogno-
my therefore is not purely Negro. He is a man of
smalT stature, but well proportioned, and was neatly at-

104 A PILOBIMAOS

tir^d in a white tobe, turban, and red cap. He was
surrounded by a number of well-dressed men, priests,
officers of hi& court, eunuchs, etc., all of whom sat m
a clean sheltered space before his piazza, but on the
ground. We were placed about four yards in front of
him, to the right of the company, except Dungari, who
with our mterpreter was on the right of us. Although
the king understands Aku weU, luad therefore could
converse directly with our interpreter, yet the customs
of his court require, that all that is said be communi-
cated to him in Fulanee by Dungari, who as before re-
marked, (see page 61) is, except the king, the most
important personage of Ilorin. He is by birth a Fu-
lanee, but of the blackest type of Negroes, as are in-
deed ninety-five per cent of them; those who are
lighter in complexion, or differ in physiognomic con-
formation, being more or less of Arabian intermixture.
In common with many of the people he reads and
writes Arabic, to teach which, there are quite a number
of schools in the town. We saw there, in the market-
places chiefly, several Arabians, some of whom had
travelled immense distances across the continent, for
purposes of trade, in which they all engage. Other
travellers speak of "white people" in Ilorin, but
although we spent as long a time there as perhaps any

TO inr HOTHEBLAND. 105

traveller had done, we were unable to find a single
individaal even as light as myself, though of twenty-
five per cent negro blood.

One girl about twelve years old was met, who was
evidently the child of some slave-trader of the coast,
as she was certamly a mulatto whose fiither was a
white man and not an Arabian, than whom she was
much lighter in complexion. Every person in Bonn
is said to speak both the Aku and Fulanee languages,
and we found no exception among those who were

not foreigners.
The musical instruments of the people of Borin

more nearly resemble those used in civilized countries,
than those seen in other sections of Afirica nearer the
coast. In a large band which performed before the
palace, there were several wind instruments, two or
three of which were like our clarionets, and. others re-
sembled an English postman's trumpet. An old man
came to play and sing for us very often. The instru-
ment he used was the exact counterpart of the Banjo,
only smaller, but played in the same way and produc-
ing similar music. Accompanied by our soi-disani jail-
er, we made several excursions through the town. Ex-
cept the existence of numerous mosques and markets,
there is no material difference in the appearance of it
from others.

106 A PILGBIMAQB

There were plenty of blind beggars, a sigbt quite
unusual in other African towns, where we seldom ever
saw a beggar. They are attracted to the place doubt-
less from the custom among the Mohammedans, (a re-
ligious custom,) of often ostentatiously distributing
money among them.

As an example of the extent to which cotton fabrics
are manu&ctured, we encountered one day in a ride of
less than an hour more than one hundred and fifty
weavers, busily employed at their looms. These
weavers are seen also in the other towns, where they
were formerly as abundant, but the influx of better
and cheaper fabrics from England has very nearly
superseded the necessity of them.

To the Glambari market, allusion has already, been
made as the greatest depot for the sale of slaves, be-
sides which, there were exposed for sale fine horses,
donkeys, mules, horse-trappings, swords, leather work,
silk clothing, tobes, antimony, salt, cola nuts, station-
ery, etc. etc.

Tobacco is much cultivated by the people of Dorin.
They do not cure it like the Americans.

The day before we departed we received a special
invitation to exhibit our curiosities — my watch, fowling-
piece, etc. — to the king, which gave him much plea-
sure, and induced the remark from Dungari : " Verily,

TO MY MOTHBELAXD. 107

if I had not a strong mind, I would embrace the cus-
toms and religion of such a people."

The next day we took leave of the king, who made
us a second fine present of two mats, two pairs of
beautifully wrought sandals, and three heads of cowries
" to pay our expenses down." At our first . interview,
after receiving ours, he had made us a present of equal
value. A horseman and two foot-soldiers were sent
with us, as an escort, and quite a multitude followed us
out of the town, wishing us a safe journey and bless-
ings of every kind. The people of Ilorin are not all
Mussulmans, there being also a large, almost equal pro-
portion of Yorubas, heathens ; these, headed by a
powerful Balagun, occasion King Shita considerable
trouble, and might one day remove him and his party
from power, an object openly avowed. We saw a large
number of convicts about the streets, their legs chained
so as to permit them a very limited and peculiar loco-
motion. Such prisoners are not found in other towns,
being either sold into foreign slavery or decapitate! as
the penalty for their offense — ^the former, a kind of
punishment the teachings of their religion forbid the
Mohammedans inflicting on their own people.

108 A PILGBIMAQB

CHAPTER X.

BETUBK.

'*Two horsemen,*' and their adventure — ^Exchange horses — ^What
about Vaughn — ^Progress arrested — ^New route — ^Yoices in the
bush — Ylllage in Ashes — Isehin — ^A Hunting-Party — ^Dead man by
the Boadade— Ibadan Soldiers, another adventure— -" Enough,
Enough, white man, go on P' — ^A dty on a hill — ^Berecadu, and its
defenses — ^Night travel in Africa — ^Abbeokuta again — *^The Daho-
mians are coming'' — Deputation — ^The Doctor is come, and how
he did it — Yiosl Departure for the Ooast-— The Carrier Nuisance
once more — Troubles — ^Heroic Woman— Safe at Lagos — Depar-
ture — ^Eru Men— A Slaver.

On the morning of the third day after our departure
from Ilorin wo reached Ogbomishaw, where we m-
tended to remain only that day, to rest, and proceed
early the next, as we were anxious to reach the coast
to obtain our letters ; "but we were disappointed, as
no carriers would stir out of the town on account of
the hostilities raging amongst the people of Oyo, Iba-
dan, and Ijaye.

Having spent the day in fruitless search for carriers,
we had just returned to the house, which, through the
kindness of the American Baptist Missionaries, we

TO MT HOTHBBLAND. 109

were permitted to occupy, when two horsemen rode up
to the door, and dismounting, entered, weary, starved
and ahnost in rags.

These were the Rev Mr. Stone, and a colored Amer-
ican carpenter in the employ of the missionaries. The
surprise of seeing them so unexpectedly, and under
such distressing circumstances, being somewhat allay-
ed, Mr. Stone briefly related to us his adventures as
follows :

A colored man named Vaughn, an American, had
selected for his abode a locality about three hours'
journey from the city of Ijaye, on the road towards
Ibadau. The Arey ascertaining that the Ibadans were
moving agaunst him, sent information to the missionaries,
that they should go and bring their friend within the
city, otherwise he could not answer for his safety. Mr.
Stone, accompanied by Russel, almost immediately set
out on horseback to apprise Vaughn of his danger, and
persuade him to come with them. The horse on which
Mr. Stone rode, was purchased some months before
from the Arey, and was well known all through the
country as his favorite war-horse ; he was one of the
largest, and except that the infirmities of age were be-
coming manifest, one of the handsomest among the
Yoruba horses ; besides, only a few weeks before, two
large, warlike, Mexican saddles were received from

110 A PILGRIMAGE

America, which the horses wore at the time of the ad-
venture. They progressed on their journey unmolested
until they reached the house of Vaughn, and unfor-
tunately found it already entirely deserted, with much
of his property destroyed, and scattered over the
ground. There was every indication that the enemy
was there and that something serious had befallen their
friend. Nevertheless they concluded to proceed to
the next village, about one hour's ride, to ascertain, if
possible, his fate. They had progressed a tew miles
when they encountered a body of Ibadans who com-
manded them to halt and remain with them until the
Balagun of the party arrived. Our friends, presuming
on the respect always shown to civilized men, and the
virtue of the horses, thought fit to disregard the in-
junction, and giving reins and spurs to their steeds
would certainly have soon left the Ibadans far in the
rear, had not suddenly before them, and on every side,
a large number of soldiers, like spectres made their un-
welcome appearance, and actually pointed their long
guns at the fugitives, and would have fired, had they
not immediately abandoned their design of so uncere-
moniously forsaking their company. Some, indignant
at their attempt to escape, would have done them bodi-
ly injury but for the interference of their superiors.
After all, they were pretty roughly used, their clothes

TO MY MOTHERLAND. Ill

tom^ their hats stolen. There was no alternative, so
they passively submitted.

In a few minutes the Balagun arrived, and sent the
captives in charge of a fdw armed men to Ibadan.
Arriving there, they were immediately taken before
Ogumola, the chief of the city, who after much ques-
tioning, suffered them to depart. The timely inter-
ference of the Rev. Mr. Hinderer of the Church
Mission, stationed at Ibadan, conduced much to their
being dismissed with so little trouble. The circum-
stance of Mr. Stone's riding Arey's war-horse, looking,
as well as the other horse, so martial in his caparison,
induced the soldiers to regard him and his companion
as spies, and hence the cause of their capture ; and
it was only after good evidence was afforded, that
the horse was purchased from the Arey, and also that
their mission without the walls of Ijaye was a peace-
able one, that they were dismissed.

Not wishing to return by the same road, they at-
tempted to pass through Iwo and Oyo, to Ijaye, but
arriving at Iwo, they learned that the road to Oyo was
in possession of soldiers who would not suffer any one
to pass ; on this account they were obliged to proceed
to Ogbomishaw. They arrived as before narrated,
hungryj tired, and pitifully distressed in mind, particu-
larly Mr. Stone, on account of his wife, who must

112 A PILGmMAGB

have suffered extreme agony from the apprehension
that harm had overtaken her husband.

Not wishmg again to be annoyed on account of the
horse, Mr. Stone offered to exchange him for mine, a
fine young animal, but not worth in money-value more
than half his, to which I consented, as, being well
known to the King of Oyo, I could take the horse into
his capital without suspicion of connection with the
rebel chief.

The next day we heard that some Egba traders
were expected at the farm-village near Ogbomishaw,
and that their carriers, who would have to return
thence to Oyo, would be glad of the job of taking our
parcels thither. I immediately went off to the village,
and had the good fortune to engage them. I then
hurried back to Ogbomishaw, and having completed
our preparations, the next morning we were on the
way to Oyo. Mr. Stone, in order I suppose to get as
far as possible from association with the animal, rode
ahead of us, so as to reach that place a day before us.

We nevei: met a single living soul on the road to
Oyo, several thriving villages being now quite de-
serted, the inhabitants taking refuge in the larger
towns.

We arrived at Oyo early on Sunday morning, and
proceeded to the compound of the Rev. Mr. Reid,

TO HY MOTHBBLAND, 113

of the American Baptist Mission, whom we 'did not
find, as botli he and Mr. Meeking, of the Church
Missionary Society, accompanied by a messenger from
the king, had gone to Ibadan, to seek Mr. Stone, who
had arrived on Saturday evening, and, expecting us,
had kindly ordered breakfast, of which, with a keen
appetite, we were just about to partake, when Mr. Reid
also rode up to the door. He did not go all the journey
to Ibadan, having been informed at Iwo that the object
of his search was safe and had gone to Ogbomishaw,
thence to reach Oyo. Mr. Stone immediately after
breakfast set out for Ijaye, to relieve as soon as possi-
ble the distress which his wife and friends endured on
his account.

As for Vaughn, the party whom Mr. Stone had
gone to seek, a few days before he had procured from
Ibadan a number of men to assist him to remove his
things into that town: unfortunately he got into a
quarrel with some of these, one of whom struck him a
blow on the head with his weapon, wounding him se-
verely : he returned the blow, and leaving the man ap-
parently dead, fled to Ibadan. Except his money, and
a few other articles of value which he had before se-
cured, he lost all his property by this adventure.

We continued at Oyo more than a week, not being
able to procure carriers for our parcels. We could

114 A PILGBIMA6B

have gone on ourselves without any fear of harm, but
it was impossible to leave all our things : it was at the
same time essential to reach the coast within a month,
as our funds were insufficient for a longer stay. After
some consultation, it was determined that I should
make an effort to get to Abbeokuta down the valley
of the Ogun through Isehin,

Accordingly, leaving all the parcels in the care of
the Doctor, taking with me only the means of living
on the journey, and accompanied by our cook and in-
terpreter, the latter to return for the Doctor if car-
riers could be found, we left Oyo on the morning of the
Cth of March, and arrived at Isehin about eight
o'clock the same evening. The road, at best but litile
frequented, was now completely deserted, and in many
places almost impassable on horseback. Two or three
hours from Oyo, we came to the iron-smelting village
already referred to.

It was apparently entirely unoccupied, and I dis-
mounted and examined the construction of their fur-
naces: remounting and again attempting to go for-
ward, my attendants hesitated, declaring they heard
voices in the bush ahead.

I affected to despise their fears, and moved for-
wards, bidding them follow, which they did at a very
respectful distance. True, we had not advanced a

TO MY MOTHEaJLAND. 115

hundred yards when we perceived several groups of
armed men on both sides of the road a little way
ahead : as we approached, they directed their weapons
towards us in rather a threatening manner, yet they
did not seem hostile ; so urging my horse to a brisk
trot, I rode amongst them, laughing and cheerfully sa-
luting them as I approached. They could not help
laughing too, but when I presented my hand success-
ively to the first three or four, neither would touch
it : passing the others, I presented it somewhat insist-
ingly to one who seemed the leader : he shook it, sev-
ieral others following his example. They merely in-
quired whence we came, and suffered us to pass.

About two hours after, we crossed the Ogun and
suddenly encountered one of the saddest spectacles in
Africa, a village only a few days before full of life and
activity, now entirely depopulated, its inhabitants cap-
tured as slaves, itself in ruins and ashes. The people
belonged to Oyo, and were collected there on account
of the employment of ferrying passengers over the
Ogun during the rainy season. The King of Oyo hav-
ing a short time before captured a few of the people
of Ijaye, Arey in retaliation sent an expedition against
the place, and suddenly pouncing upon the unsuspect-
ing inhabitants at midnight, took every individual and
burnt the place.

116 A FILGBDCAGE

During this day's joumej we saw the largest num-
ber of wild animals, deer, monkeys, etc., especially
near the river ; and as we passed through the village
we perceived a flock of Guinea-hens covering an area
of over an acre. As before mentioned, we arrived at
Isehin about eight in the evening. Mr. Elba, the
native reader of the Church Mission, and &ther
of the boy already mentioned, kindly afforded us
accommodation. We tarried long enough the next
day to pay our respects to the king. We found his
majesty attired in his hunting costume, horses, at*
tendants, dogs and arms, all ready to depart, conse^
quently he could not afford a lengthy audience, but
was very courteous, and presented me a small smoked
animal not unlike the armadillo, a present, I was told,
significant of much respect, but which I could not su^
fidently appreciate, particularly as it partook of the
qualities of venison when most acceptable to certain
palates. We also called on the chief Balagun, who
gave us a hearty welcome and a few dried fishes. The
number of inhabitants does not exceed twenty thou-
sand, and the town is one of the only two in this sec-
tion, Iwo being the other, which have existed before
the troubles which led to 'the foimation of Ijaye, Ab-
beokuta, etc. We left Isehin about eleven a.m., and
reached Awaye, the next town, the same evening.

TO MY MOTHEBUlND. 117

The road was qaiet and deserted, the people every

•

where fearing to leave home on account of the unset-
tled condition of affairs. There was the body of a
man near the road, a mUe from the town, where it had
lain for more than a week.. A few of a straggling
party of Ijaye soldiers lurking in the neighborhood,
having unsuccessfully pursued some farmers, were ro-
turning to their companions, who fired on them, mis-
taking them for the fugitives, and unfortunately killed
one. The chief ordered that his body, which of
course his companions had no time either to take away
or bury, should remain, as a lesson to similar maraud-
ing parties.

Not more than half an hour after our arrival, the
chief waited on me in person to salute me and wel-
come me to his town. He is the youngest chief in the
Aku country, but certainly one of the most intelligent,
to judge by his conversation. He sent me a large
bowl of milk for supper, and the next morning a fine
pig, although he knew I was not in a position to make
him a return present. He was very anxious that some
civilized person should come to live in his town. It is
strange that while, including teachers and catechists, a
place like Abbeokuta should have ten or twelve mis-
sionaries, besides an indefinite number of native read-
ers or visitors, then*e should be only an ignorant vis*

118 A PIL6BIMAGE

itor, whose sole qualification is his ability to read, al-
lowed to a town of from sixteen to twenty thousand
people.

My horse and men being tired, we rested all the
next day at Awaye.

A woman with her son and daughter besought me
to permit them. to go under our protection to Abbeo-
kuta. I told her she was welcome to all the protec-
tion I could afford, and we lefl together the next
morning early. At about eleven o'clock, when half-
way on our journey to Bi-olorun-pellu,^ we suddenly
met about two hundred Ibadan soldiers. My servants,
who were before me, attempted to pass by the fore-
most of them, but were very roughly arrested. My-
self and the rest of the party soon came up and were
all immediately surrounded. They kept us, while dis-
cussing the fate of my people, for nearly two hours.
At length they demanded a present as the condition
on which they would allow us to proceed. I had
nothing to give, having left Oyo with only two suits
of clothes, one on my back, the other in a small bun-
dle. My other things consisted only of $, gutta-percha
sheet and some cooking utensils. I told the man who
carried them to open the things and allow them to
take whatever they desired: seeing we had nothing,
they infoimed my interpreter, after a little considera-

TO MY MOTHBBLAND. 119

lion among themselves, that we could depart peace-
ably, but they must keep as their captives the woman
and her two children. It was too distressing to sec
three human beings about to be deprived of their lib-
erty. The old woman wept bitterly, but her tears
were apparently unheeded. I told them that it was
impossible for me to leave these people; they had
placed themselves under my protection, therefore I
could not permit them to be taken away, except with
myself also; that they could take my horse, my
watch, my money, all I had, in short ; but I would not
permit them to take these people. They hesitated, I
saw they wef e moved, and I kept up my entreaties.
At length the balagun or captain, to whom I addressed
myself and who remained silent all the time I spoke,
with almost a tear in his eye, exclaimed, ^' Oto^ oto^
oyibo^ molo f " " Enough, enough, white man, go on."
When one of his party attempted to take away a tin
cup my interpreter carried, he drew his sword, declar-
ing that it was at the peril of any one to touch us.
Some of his people seemed much disappointed. We
hupied away, and four hours after were climbing an
immense roqk, rising like an island from the surround-
ing plain, on the summit of which is situated ''Bi-
olorun-pellu," "ijf the ZordwiUs.^^ . •

The party we had so fortunately escaped from, be-

120 A PILGBIMAQE

longed to the same who had arrested the Rev. Mr.
Stone, for they knew the horse, and two or three of
them contended that he was the same, while others
more skilled in logic showed that it was impossible, for
the reasons that he was sent to Ibadan^ that he was
not ridden by the same oyibo, and that he had not on
the same saddle. The argument was conclusive, so
they contended no longer ; but there seemed to be still
a few who, by an occasional shake of the head as they
viewed the animal, continued to indicate a lingering
skepticism. The horse, in his turn, seemed to recog-
nize his old acquaintances, and looked all the time as
suspicious as possible.

The people of this town, like those of Abbeokuta,
flying from place to place before a relentless enemy,
had at last betaken themselves to this naturally im-
pregnable position, and in view of its safety called it,
" Bi-olorun-pellu," for, said they, only by the Lord's
will, and not by the power of man, can we be re-
moved hence. I never perhaps endured greater labor-
than in the effort to get my horse up the almost inac-
cessible clifls, although assisted by our party, even the
women; and when at last we succeeded, the poor
beast was much bruised. There are only two passes
iftto the town, one by which it is entered from Isehin,
and the other from Berecadu. Three men at each of

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 121

these could successfully defend the place against any
number. It could also hold out against along siege, for
not only is there always a supply of provisions stored
away to last for at least two years, but the interstices
of the rocks and other places unattainable except by
the inhabitants, are susceptible of cultivation, although
the amount of produce thus obtained would hardly be
equivalent to their ordinary consumption. The same
evening we arrived I called to pay my respects to the
chief, from whom I received the usual kind treatment :
he presented me, as did the chief of Awaye, with
a fine pig. The Balagun also gave me a large
" rooster.'* I left the next morning with a thousand
blessings from the people, for the woman who with
her children I had aided in saving from slavery, had
told the matter to all her friends, as she did also at
Befecadu and at Abbeokuta, and they, with all the
warm gratitude of the African's nature, were exceed-
ingly lavish in their acknowledgments of the deed.

We arrived at Berecadu on the evening of the same
day, without any incidents on the journey worth re-
cording. At one of the crossings of the Ogun, we met
a large company of Ibadan soldiers, again lurking like
wild beasts to seize any unsuspecting native who in
such times should venture out to their farms. They

had taken possession of a few huts on the banks of the

6

122 A FILGBUCAGB

river, used in the wet season by those who make a
business of crossing passengers on large calabashes as
already described.

First one, evidently the balagun, came out and sa-
luted us very kindly, then another, and still another,
until there were more than thirty standing around us.
I strove to appear myself, quite at ease, and shook
hands and joked with them, but the woman and her
son and daughter gave them a " wide berth," while
the interpreter and cook, the latter of whom I
shall better call Johnson, could ill repress their
fears, although they behaved well.

Berecadu is a town of about thirty or thirty-five
thousand inhabitants, judging from the extent and
character of its only market. The people are partly
Yorubas and partly Egbas, paying tribute to both na-
tions, but obliged to guard against both also, as each
seems determined to compel the paying of tribute to
itself alone. Its defenses are so well contrived that it
would almost be as difficult a place to take as £i-
olorun-pellu, except by surprise, and this is not likely,
as a large number of armed men, ^'keepers of the
city," are stationed every night at the gates.

There are two walls encompassing the whole cityj
leaving a space of about two hundred yards between
them, and this space contains a dense forest, with an in-

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 123

terlacing undergrowth, utterly impaBsable to an enemy
except by the use of means incompatible with the dis-.
patch of warfare.

We sojourned with the Visitor, who lives in the
compound of the chief, to whom I as usual paid my
respects and explained the object of my visit. He is
almost the most miserable person of the town, old,
blind, neglected and in dirt and rags, yet cheerful and
apparently much concerned for his people. There
is a second chief or regent, who is charged with the
municipal administration.

Leaving Berecadu shortly after midnight, we ar-
rived at Abbeokuta in time for break&st. Except in
the warmest part of the day, it is always pleasant to
travel in Africa, but it is particularly so at night or
near day-break : the country then seen by the mellow
light of the moon, or by the gray twilight, seems
twice as wild and magnificent, and the flowers distill
their perfume in greater abundance : now and then, it
is true, one hears the dismal screech of some night-
bird, or the yell or howl of some small animal dis-
turbed in his repose by intruding footsteps, but these
serve only to break the monotony ; and besides, there
are the gentle cooing of doves, and the cheerful voices
and merry laughter of your native attendants, sufli-
cient to cheer any heart.

124 A PILGRIMAGE

Whenever it was practicable, we always preferred
travelling at such times ; and although much is said in
disparagement of night air in Africa, certainly in our
case, if injurious at all, it was not as much so as the
effects of the sun.

We found Abbeokuta in considerable commotion.
Only a few days before, the Dahomians were known to
be advancing against the city, but informed doubtless
by their spies of the reception that was prepared for
them, they suddenly wheeled about and retraced their
steps, not without committing much depredation
among the people through whose territory they
passed.

Every one was also speculating on the war in the
interior, and its probable consequences and duration.
Being the only person who had returned thence for
a fortnight, every one wanted to hear news from me :
the king and chiefs desired an interview particularly,
respecting the Ibadans we met on the road, who
were suspected to be loitering there to join the
Dahomians in their contemplated attack.

The morning after my arrival I was waited upon
at the house of my kind friend Mr. Samuel Grow-
ther, Jr., by a large deputation of the relatives
of the woman who came with me from Awaye.
She was not with them herself, being ill from the

TO HY MOTH£BLANI>. 125

effect of her fright and the fatigue of such hurried
travelling ; but there were the son and daughter and
her other children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles,
cousins, and their husbands, wives, children, etc.
They brought with them presents of chickens, eggs,
fruits, cola-nuts and many other suitable gifts.

The interpreter had accompanied me with the object
of returning to inform the Doctor whether carriers
could be obtained on the route, and if so, to come with
him and our luggage after me to Abbeokuta ; but the
condition of the road, as the reader already knows,
rendered it impossible even for the interpreter to re-
turn alone.

My next plan was to return myself, taking with me
the letter-bags of the missionaries, which they were
very anxious to receive ; but both the interpreter and
Johnson, who belonged to Lagos, wanted to go home,
the former because his mother was at the point of death,
the latter because he was longing to see his wife, but
he promised to return in a week, and to indicate his
sincerity refused to take his wages imtil then. True
to his word, he came at the appointed time^ and we

•

were about to set out the next morning, my horse
waiting, when our native boy Adeneje, who was left at
Oyo with small-pox, came in with a note from my col-
league informing me that he had just arrived at our

126 A PILGBIHA6B

usual place of abode at the Baptist Mission House.
After making several fruitless efforts to procure car
riers, he was at length favored by the king with the
protection of a detachment of soldiers going to join
the Ibadans against Kumi, Arey of Ijaye, a few of
them being also detailed to the duty of carriers, an of-
fice they seemed to regard as derogatory to the dig-
nity of soldiers, judging from the trouble they gave
him. The king also sent with him a special messenger
to indicate that he was the king's friend, and as such
should receive proper consideration. He made the
journey through Iwo and Ibadan. When he arrived
at the latter place he could only procure carriers for a
portion of our things, the Rev. Mr. Hinderer, with
whom the Doctor sojourned at Ibadan, kindly consent-
ing to take care of the rest for us. The reader wiU
remember that we had already lefl a large portion of
our property at Ijaye, which though safe, we could not
procure, as we were unable to enter the city. From
both these circumstances we lost most of our collec-
tions, and also some fine photographs.

By the first of April we had completed our arrange-
ments, and were to leave on the morning of the third
for Lagos. Carriers were engaged for the journey, as
we intended to travel by land, it being the dry season*;
but when the time arrived we were as usual put off

TO MY MOTHBBLAND. • 127

and annoyed by their unconquerable love of gain, and
desire to make if possible a fortune out of us. They
would come, examine the parcels, and charge three or
four times more than the labor was worth. One re-
fuses to pay, and they walk off. After great trouble
you procure another set ; they serve you in the same
way ; then the first return and abate somewhat, but
the charge is still too great, and you refuse to pay it ;
they walk off again, expecting that as you are in a
hurry, you will call them back, which of course you
do not, having acquired some wisdom by your past
experience in the country. They go out of sight for
twenty minutes, and at .last return again, asking an
honest price, and the bargain is completed. Surviving
all the annoyance, which I assure the reader is much
worse than I can depict, we at length left Abbeokuta
about nine o'clock in the evening on the fifth of April,
intending to sleep that night at Aro, and depart early
the next morning ; but having attained that point, our
relentless carriers placed down their loads, and de-
clared that as they were heavy they would not carry
them any further without more pay. This they did
because the next day being Oro-day, it would be im-
possible to get others, and we could not delay a day
longer without the risk of losing our passage to Eng-
land. I was at a loss what to do, but of all things I

128 ' A FltOBIMAGS

would not submit to their oztortion. At last Mr.
Pedro, an intelligent young native, kindly volunteered
to procure a canoe to tuke down the things, thus enar
bling us to dispense with the caniers entirely. After
some effort he succeeded. It was then concluded that
the Doctor, accompanied by Johnson, should proceed
by land, while I should go with the canoe to look after
the safety of our things. The Doctor left about ten
o'clock A.M., the things were placed on board, my
horse sent back to Abbeokuta, and stepping into the
canoe it was pushed off. We proceeded with much
labor for about two miles, -when it was found impossi-
ble to go further : there was not enough water to float
it. We were then left in a worse dilemma than at
first, for a little more pay would have secured the ser-
vices of the carriers. Leaving the canoe, I returned to
Aro, to procure if possible the aid of a man to push it
on, and fortunately met Messrs. Josiah Crowther and
Faulkner, the latter a respectable young man from
Sierra Leone, who seeing and pitying my unlucky po-
sition^ sent a few of their laborers to take the lug-
gage down to Agbamiya, a point ftirther down the
river, from which place there is always enough
water to float a loaded canoe. These laborers
instead of returning with the things to Aro, and
proceeding thence by the direct road, attempted a

TO MY MOTHSBLAND. 129

short cut and went three or four miles out of the way,
so that we never arrived at Agbamiya until about six
in the aflemoon. Arriving there, by a little more
trouble and the offer of good pay on condition of leav-
ing that night, I procured another canoe, and away we
went at last.

There is always trouble travelling in Africa with lug-
gage, but it is far less in the interior than among the
semi-civilized, neither Christian nor heathen, natives
of the coast, who acquiring all the vices of the white
man, know little and practise still less of his virtues.

I never jBxperienced real hardship imtil in this little
journey between Abbeokuta and the coast. No
sooner had we Mrly started than it began to rain
heavily, and it continued raining more or less until
we reached Lagos, so that, sleeping and waking, I
was wet the whole time, forty-eight hours; but I
warded off the effects by helping the canoe-man with
a paddle the entire way, by which means we also
arrived at Lagos earlier. One more unpleasant in-
cident, and I shall relieve the reader. It seemed
that the canoe in which we travelled was purchased
from an Ijebu, and not paid for. When two thirds
down the river, the canoe-man stopped at a small
market-village, not expecting to meet there his cre-
ditor, but did unfortunately. Some altercation ensued,

6*

130 A PILGBIMA6B

when tlie Ijebu began to take the things out of the
boat, in order to repossess himself of his property.
I remained quiet until he attempted to remove my
things, when I interposed. He turned from me, and
began to talk very angrily with the canoe-man. Both
became more and more excited. At this time an-
other canoe with several men and women came up,
and all these took part in the row, which grew more
fierce every instant. I saw some of the crowd run-
ning away, who in a few moments returned, and with
them about thirty men, all armed with knives, their
chief at their head. They rushed at the poor man,
and the chief seizing the resistless creature was about
to slay him, when a woman heroically threw her-
self in the way of the weapon, and saved him. The
row continued folly an hour longer, and terminated
at last only from the sheer exhaustion of all con-
cerned. Without an interpreter, and my own know-
ledge of the language being very limited, I was un-
able except by conjecture and an expression under-
stood here and there, to learn the details of the dis-
pute.

We arrived at Lagos on the evening of the ^th
of April. Dr. Delany accomplished his overland jour-
ney in the same time, so that we met crossing the
bay, and landed together. The next day, Sunday —

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 131

Easter Sunday — ^we attended divine service, and heard
a sei-mon from our venerable friend the Rev. Sam-
uel Crowther, who was now spending a short time
with his fiunily, and expecting to return to his la-
bors up the Niger in a few days. Let me here,
as well for my colleague as myself record- my ac-
knowledgments and thanks to him, his family, and
to the many kind friends we met with in our trav-
els, not omitting our friend Capt. Davis, who kindly
furnished us a passage in his boat to the steamer,
free of expense.

On the morning of th3 10th of April we bade adieu
to Lagos, and after an unusually fine passage across
the bar, embarked on board the Boyal Mail S. S.
" Athenian," Capt. Lauiie, for Liverpool. The steam-
er, as in the outward voyage, stopped at the inter-
mediate places on the coast, and at TenerifTe and
Madeira. She had on board a large number of Km
men, returning from different points of the coast,
where they had been serving either on board men-
of-war or trading vessels* These men are of incal-
culable advantage, as without them it would be im?'
possible to work the ships, European sailors being
unfit to labor in such warm latitudes, and not un-
derstanding so well the management of boats in heavy
surfs. No where, I believe, can people be founa so

132 A riLGKIMAGE

at ho.me hi the water. At Cape Palmas and other
places on the Liberian coast, the steamer stops ta
allow them to land, which they do in very small car:
noes, brought off from the beach by their country-
men, in which no other human beings would ven-
ture. They make a fearful noise as they are de-:
parting and preparing to do so, and if not hurried
off by the officers, would detain the vessel much
longer than necessary. Sometimes the steamer starts
before they have all left, and then without the slight-'
est hesitation they throw into the water such of their
property as will float, taking the rest in their hands,
and jumping overboard swim with the greatest ease;
to their canoes. Such a scene occurred in our ship.
Those who were still on board when the steamer
started, had a number of swords, iron pots, pistols,-
kegs of powder, etc., the wages of their labor, which
they prefer rather in goods than in money. I saw sev-
eral jump into the water with swords in both hands,
but th.ere was one who had five swords and two
iron pots, certainly not weighing less than thirty-five
or forty pounds. Their canoes often upset, but this
they consider quite a matter of course; a dexter-
ous jerk from one side rights them again, and in
another instant they are in their place bailing out the
water.

TO MY HOTHEKLAND. IBS!

m

At Freetown, Sierra Leone, we saw a large* slaver,
brought in a few days before by H. M. S. S. " Triton."
Her officers and crew, consisting of over thirty per-
sons, were there set at liberty, to be disposed of
by the Spanish Consul as distressed seamen. They
were as such forwarded in the same ship with us
to Teneriffe. No wonder that the slave-trade should
be so difficult to suppress, when no punishment a.waits
such wretches as these. What scamp would fear to
embark in such an enterprise, if only assured that
there was no personal risk — ^that he has only to de-
stroy the ship's flag and papers on the approach
of a cruiser, not only to shield himself and his crew
from the consequence of his crime, but to receive
the consideration rightly accorded distressed hon-
est men. These villains, of course return to Ha-
vana or the United States, procure a new ship, and
again pursue the wicked pui'pose which their previ-
ous experience enables them to accomplish with all
the more impunity.

The incidents of a voyage to England under every
variety of circumstance, have been so often described,
that I shall both save myself the trouble of writing,
and you, dear reader, the tedium of perusing them.

134 A PILGRDfAOE

CHAPTER XI.

CONCLUSION.

Willingness of Natives to receive Settlers — Comparative Healthiness
of Coast and Interior — ^Expense of Toyage— Protection — ^How to
procure Land — Commercial and Agricultural Prospects — ^Time of
arriving at Lagos — ^Tfae Bar — ^Extent of Self-Govemment — Cli-
mate— African Fever and Treatment — Cotton Trade—Domestio
Animals — ^Agricultural Products — Minerals — Timber — Water —
African Industry — ^Expense of Labor — Our Treaty — Finis,

The native authorities, every where from Lagos to

Ilorin, are willing to receive civilized people among
them as settlers. It is hardly fair to say merely
that they are willing ; they hail the event with joy.
They know and appreciate the blessings which must
accrue to them by such accessions. They would, how-
ever, be opposed to independent colonies, the estab-
lishment of which among them, not only on this ac-
count, would be highly inexpedient.

The sea-coast, from the .prevalence of mangrove-
swamps, is imhealthy, but it is a fact that many per-
sons, even Europeans and Americans, enjoy good

TO MY MOTHBBLAND. 185

health there, and many of the deaths are more to be
attributed to alcoholic indulgence than to the charac-
ter of the location. Abbeokuta, and all other interior
towns we* visited, are healthy, but even in these an oc-
casional attack of bilious fever must be expected for a
year or two, or until the process of acclimature is com-
pleted. Emigrants should remember that in new
countries it is always necessary to exercise great
watchfulness and discretion.

The expense of a voyage to Lagos directly from
America, should not exceed $100 for first-class, and
$60 for second-class: via Liverpool, besides the ex-
pense of the voyage thither, it would cost $200 for
first-class, and $150 for second-class: $25 should in-
clude all expense of landing at Lagos, and of the jour-
ney to Abbeokuta.'

The best prot€^tion on which a settler should rely in
Africa, is that which all men are disposed to afford a
good and honest man. The proper kind of emigrants
want no protection among the natives of the Egba

■

and Toruba countries. We have had, however, from
Lord Malmesbury, late Foreign Secretary in the Brit-
ish Cabinet, a letter to the Consul at Lagos, by which
the protection of that functionary, as far as he can af^
ford it, is secured for settlers.

Although land for agricultural purposes may be ob-

136 A PIL6BIMAOB

tained, as much as can be used, ^' without money and
without price," yet town-lots will cost from $2 to $50
and even $100. Some fine fellows may get a very
suitable lot for a trifle, or even for nothing ; much de-
pends upon the person.

The commercial and agricultural prospects are excel-
lent, but there is much room for enterprise and ener-
gy. There is a decided demand for intelligent colored
Americans, but it must be observed that one who is
only prepared to roll barrels would have to compete
with the natives under great disadvantages. Agricul-
turists, mechanics, and capitalists, with suitable reli-
gious and secular teachers, are most required.

Emigrants should never leave the States so as to ar-
rive at Lagos in the months of June, July or August :
the bar is then bad, and there is great risk to person
and property in landing at such season. For safety I
might include the last of May and first of September.
During all the rest of the year there is no danger.
The difficulties of the bar are not, however, insupera-
ble; small vessels can always easily sail over it into
the fine bay within, where they can load or unload with
little trouble and without risk. It is not so easy to
go out again, however, for^then it would be neces-
sary to "beat" against the wind, but a small steam-
boat could at once take them out in tow with per-

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 137

feet safety.' I was informed that slavers used always
to enter the bay : they could, of course, afford to
wait for a favorable wind with which to get out.
Emigrants going to Abbeokuta, according to the
second article of our treaty, will be permitted the
privilege of self-government^ but this can only be mu-
nicipal, and affecting too only themselves. There is
no doubt, however, that in time it will assume all
the functions of a national government, for the peo-
ple are fast progressing in civilization, and the ex-
isting laws, which from their nature apply only to
heathens, would be found inadequate for them. Even
now, as soon as any one of the people assumes the
garb or other characteristics of civilization, they cease
to exercise jurisdiction over him. He is thencefor-
ward deemed an "oyibo," or white man.* The ru-
lers, of course, will not be imaffected by those in-
fluences which can bring about such changes in their
people, and thus they too will find it expedient to
modify the laws to meet the emergency. But em-

* This term, which literally signifies stripped off, was applied to
white men, from the belief that their skin was stripped off. It is
now applied indiscriminately to civilized men. To distinguish,
howeyer, between black ciyilized and white civilized men, the terms
dudu for the formeis and fufu for the latter, are respectively affixed.

138 A PILGBIHAQB

•

igrants most ever remember that the existing rulers
must be respected, for they only are the bona fide
rulers of the place. The effort should be to lift them
up to the proper standard, and not to supersede or
crush them. If such a disposition is manifested, then
harmony and peace will prevail ; I am afraid not, other-
wise.

Of course the succession of seasons in northern and
southern latitudes below the 24th parallel, does not ex-
ist. There are two wet and two dry seasons. The
first wet begms about the last of April, and continues
until the close of June. The second begins in the last
of September, and ceases with the end of October.
The period between June and September is not en-
tirely without rain. Both the wet seasons are inaugu-
rated by sharp thunder and lightning, and an occa-
sional shower. The harmattan winds prevail about
Christmas time. They are very dry and cold : I have
seen at 8 a.m., the thermometer at 54<' Fahr., during the
prevalence of these winds. The mornings and even-
ings, however warm the noon might be, are always
comfortable. The general range of the temperature is
between 74° and OO** Fahr. I have experienced warmer
days in New- York and Philadelphia.

With due prudence there is nothing to fear from the
African fever, which is simply the bilious fever, arising

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 139

from marsh miasmata common to other tropical conn-
tries, as well as to the southern sections of the United
States. I have, myself, experienced the disease, not
only in Africa, but in the West-Indies and Central
America, and know that in all these places it is identi-
cal. Emigrants to the Western States of America
sqffer severely from typhoid fever, which often renders
them powerless for months together; but with the
African fever, which is periodical, there is always an
intermission of from one to three days between the
paroxysms, when the patient is comparatively well.
Persons of intemperate habits, however, are generally
very seriously affected. I suffered five attacks during
my sojourn in AMca. The first, at Lagos, continuing
about eight days, was induced by severe physical exer-
tion in the sun. The four other attacks were in the in-
terior. By a prompt application of suitable remedies,
neither of them lasted longer than four or five days,
and were not severe. The treatment I found most effi-
cacious was, immediately on the appearance of the
symptoms, to take two or three anti-bilious pills, com-
posed each of two and a half grains comp. ext. Colo-
cynth, and one fourth grain Podophyllin, (ext. May-
apple root.) For the present of a box of these pills I
am indebted to Messrs. Bullock & Crenshaw, drug-
gists. Sixth, above Arch street. This treatment al-

140 ▲ PILGBIMAGB

ways had the effect of greatly prostrating me, but the
next day I was better, although weak. I then took
three times daily about one grain sulphate of quinine,
as much as will lie on a five-cent piece. This quantity
in my own case was always sufficient, but it must be
observed that the same dose will not answer for every
constitution. It should be taken in a little acidulated
water, or wine and water. Mr. Edward S. Morris,
916 Arch street, has a preparation which from experi-
ence I found better than the pure quinine. The prac-
tice of physicking while in health to keep well is very
unwise: try to keep off disease by living carefully,
and when in spite of this it comes, then physic, but
, carefully. Many suffer more from medicines than
from disease. Quinine should not be taken during the
recurrence of the fever. Hard labor or unnecessary
walking in the sun must be avoided, but with an um-
brella one might go out for an hour or two with impu-
nity in the warmest weather.

Cotton from Abbe<5kuta has been an article of ex-
port to the British market for about eight years. In
the first year only 235 pounds could be procured, but
from that time, through the efforts of Thomas Clegg,
Esq., of Manchester, and several gentlemen connected
with the Church Missionary Society, London, the ex-
port has more than doubled every year, until, in 1859

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 141

the quantity reached about 6000 bales or 720,000
pounds. The plant abounds throughout the entire
country, the natives cultivating it for the manufacture
of cloths for their own consumption. Its exportation
is, therefore, capable of indefinite extension. In the
seed it is purchased from the natives at something less
than two cents per pound. It is then ginned and
pressed by the traders, and shipped to Liverpool,
where it realizes better prices than New-Orleans cot-
ton. The gins now in use by the natives affect injuri-
ously the fibre, so as to depreciate it at least two cents
per pound. Properly cleaned, it would bring far more
than New-Orleans cotton, and even as it is, the value
is about four cents more than the East-India product.
The plant in Africa being perennial, the expense and
trouble of replanting every year, as in this country, is
avoided. There are flowers and ripe cotton on the
plants at all seasons of the year, although there is a
time when the yield is greatest. Free laborers for its
cultivation can be employed each for about one half
the interest of the cost of a slave at the South per
annum, and land at present can be procured for noth-
ing. These are advantages not to be despised.

The domestic animals comprise horses, which are
plentiful and cheap ; mules and asses at Ilorin ; fine cat-
tie, furnishing excellent milk, which can be purchased

142 A PILGBIMAGB

at about two cents per quart ; sheep, not the woolly
variety ; goats, pigs, dogs, catSj turkeys, ducks, chick-
ens, Guinea-hens, (also wild ones in abundance,)
pigeons, etc. Of agricultural products there are cot-
ton, palm-oil, and other oils; Indian-corn, which is now
being exported ; sweet potatoes, yams, cassava, rice ;
Guinea-corn, a good substitute for wheat ; beans, sev-
eral varieties ; arrow-root, ginger, sugar-cane, ground-
nuts ; onions, as good as can be obtained any where ;
luscious pine- apples, delectable papaws, unrivalled or-
anges and bananas, not to mention the locust and
other fine varieties of fruit.

Of minerals there is an abundance of the best build-
ing granite. I have seen no limestone, but Lagos, fur-
nishes, as already observed, an unlimited supply from
oyster-shells. Plenty of rich iron-ore, from which the
natives extract their own iron.

Of timber there is plenty of the African oak or'
teak — roho^ as the natives call it — which is the mate-
rial commonly used for building. Of course there are
other fine varieties of timber. Water is easily pro-
cured every where. In the dry season some find it
convenient to procure it from wells only a few feet
deep, say from three to twelve feet. The Ogun fur-
nishes good water-power; there are also fine brooks

TO MY MOTHEBLAND. 143

which could be so used, but not all the year. The
sugar-cane I have seen every where.

There is certainly no more industrious people any
where, and I challenge all the world besides to pro-
duce a people more so, or capable of as much endu-
rance. Those who believe, among other foolish
things, that the Negro is accustomed lazily to spend
his time basking in the sunshine, like black-snakes or
alligators, should go and see the people they malign.
There are, doubtless, among them, as among ev^ry
other race, not excepting the Anglo-American, indo-
lent people, but this says nothing more against. the one
than the other. Labor is cheap, but is rising in value
from the increased demand for it.

The following is a copy of the treaty we concluded
with the native authorities of Abbeokuta :

TREATY.

This Treaty made between his Majesty Okukenu, Alake;
Somoye, Ibashorun ; Sokenu, Ogubonna, and Atambala, on
the first part; and Martin Robison Delany and Robert
Campbell, of the Niger Valley Exploring Party, Commis-
sioners firom the African race of the United States tuad the
Canadas in America, on the second part, covenants :

144 A PILGRIMAGE

ABTIGLB FIB8T.

That the King and Chiefs on their part agree to grant and
assign unto the said Commissioners, on behalf of the
African race in America, the right and priyilege of settling
in conmion with the Egba people, on any part of the terri-
tory belonging to Abbeokuta not otherwise occupied.

ABTICLE SECOND.

That all matters requiring legal investigation among the set-
tlers be left to themselves to be disposed of according to
their own customs.

ARTICLE THIRD.

That the Commissioners on their part also agree that the set-
tlers shall bring with them, as an equivalent for the privi-
leges above accorded, intelligence, education, a knowledge
of the arts and sciences, agriculture, and other mechanical
and industrial occupations, which they shall put into im-
mediate operation by improving the lands and in other use-
ful vocations.

ARTICLE FOURTH.

That the laws of the Egba people shall be strictly respected
by the settlers ; and in all matters in which both parties
are concerned, an equal number of commissioners, mu-
tually agreed upon, shall be appointed, who shall have
power to settle such matters.

TO MY MOTHERLAND. 145

As a pledge of our faith and the sincerity of our hearts, we,
each of us, hereunto affix our hands and seals, this
twenty-seventh day of December, Anno Domini one thou
sand eight hundred and fifty-nine.

OKUKENU X Alakb,

lUHrk.
his

SOMOYE X Ibashobun,

mark. *

ni9

SOKENU X Balagun,

nark.

his

• • OGUBONNA X Balagun,

mark.

ATAMBALA, X Balagun,

mark.

OGUSEYE, X Anaba,

mark.

NGTABO X Balagun Ose,

* mark.

his

OG-UDEMU X Age, Oko,

mark.

M. R, DEL ANY,

ROBERT CAMPBELL.
Witness :

Samuel Crowtheb, Jr.

Attest :

Samuel Crowtheb, Sr.

We landed at Liverpool, Dr. Delany and myself,
on the 12th May, 1860, in good health, although wo
had been to — Africa !

FINIS.

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